The Road To Recovery Is Long And Winding
by Mione5
Summary: Months ago Harry was kidnapped form his bed in Gryffindor Tower and tortured by the Dark Lord. Dumbledore find him and brings him back, but will he ever be the same? Warning, mentions of rape and detailed torture!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer – Told you in all the others. It isn't mine.

**Chapter 1 – Shattered trust.**

'Albus. Albus, in here.' Snape yelled and waited just outside the door to the small room. If it could be called a room. It was really a cell: six foot by four foot with no window and water seeping down the cold stone walls.

'Oh dear Merlin.' The headmaster breathed as rushed in, having no qualms about wading through the blood and gore and mess that stained the floor, to get to the bundle of rags that were hiding the beaten and bloody figure of the Boy-Who-Lived. The teenager they'd all been searching frantically for over the last four months. 'My boy, my dear boy.' Albus cried as he gently pushed back the filth and blood covered rag covering the young man's face.

'P…prof…fessor.' Harry croaked.

'Oh Harry, we're so sorry it took so long to find you.' The headmaster tried to begin checking the boy over but as soon as he removed the top layer of dirty cloth Harry froze, his eyes impossibly wide.

'No.' Harry breathed, trying to scuttle sideways but gave in to his injuries and collapsed with a small scream.

'Headmaster, you must go. There isn't much time.' Snape hissed from the doorway. Albus looked up and nodded before turning back to Harry.

'I'm sorry, Harry. Stupefy.' Dumbledore gathered the damaged form, rags and all in his arms and stood up. 'You have the antidote to the Veritaserum capsule?' Snape nodded.

'Hidden in my mouth already.' The potions master said quietly. 'Now hurry up and get out of here.'

Dumbledore's bright blue eyes dimmed. 'Are you sure about this Severus?' he asked hesitantly.

Snape rolled his eyes. 'For Merlin's sake, Albus, we went over this. He won't kill me, not yet anyway, he needs the information I provide about you. He's more likely to kill Lucius for telling me where they were keeping the brat in the first place. The Dark Lord believes you wouldn't hesitate in using Veritaserum if you could find your precious Harry Potter which is why I was never told in the first place. He'll probably just cast the Cruciatus a few times and let me go. And I always have the antidote if he decides to try Veritaserum himself.'

Dumbledore sighed. 'I still don't like it but please be careful, Severus. And come safely back to us.' Snape nodded. With one last sad look at the younger man the headmaster held the bundle in his arms tightly to his chest, activated the Portkey that was pinned to his robes and disappeared.

Snape, shook his head and bent down to pick up a largish rock that was being used to line the bottom of the stone walls. With a sigh he brought it up swiftly until it cracked against the side of his head. He had just enough presence of mind to drop the rock before darkness clouded his vision and he fell to the ground.

* * *

><p>Poppy Pomfrey was ready for Dumbledore when he landed in the hospital wing. They had been planning the rescue for almost a week. 'Was he alive?' she asked.<p>

Dumbledore crossed the room to place the bundle of rags on a bed. 'Just barely.' He said with a grimace. 'I had to stun him. He wouldn't let me near him. We'll have to give him a dreamless sleep before you can check him over.' Poppy nodded, summoning the blue filled vial and handing it over.

Dumbledore lifted Harry's head, positioning the vial at the boy's lips and nodding to the medi-witch.

'Enervate.' Poppy whispered.

'Drink Harry.' Albus poured the vial into Harry's mouth. Harry swallowed it unconsciously before seemingly to realise someone was touching him; and with a small screech, he threw himself out of bed and into the corner, heedless of his injuries. Moments later the potion finally worked and he slumped to the floor.

Poppy and Albus exchanged glances at the extreme reaction. 'That doesn't bode well.' She murmured, raising her wand and levitating the prone form onto the bed. The headmaster moved back a few steps to allow the woman to do her work. He glanced up at the magical clock on the wall, realising that his potions master would be being discovered at any moment. He only hoped the younger man would return relatively unscathed.

Apparently Harry had been visited several times a day with a regularity you could have set a watch by so he knew Severus would be found shortly by the usual two o'clock visitor.

A horrified gasp brought him back to the moment.

'What is it Poppy?'

The medi-witch moved to the side so that he could see the now naked figure in the bed.

'Merlin above.' Albus breathed, sitting abruptly on the bed beside Harry's. The figure was rail thin and it didn't look as if he had been fed since he was snatched right from his bed in Gryffindor Tower just before the end of April. There was barely a patch on the boy's skin that wasn't covered in some type of scar or cut or burn and there were so many bruises that his entire body was black and blue.

'Albus, I don't know if I can fix all of this.' Poppy said anxiously.

'Just do what you can Poppy.' He said with a calm he certainly wasn't feeling. 'We can call St Mungo's if we need further help.'

Poppy nodded and went to work as Dumbledore continued to watch the clock and his thoughts travelled back to that fateful April night.

_Flashback_

'If that is all, we shall adjourn. Everyone knows there tasks for this week and remember, because Tom has been quiet probably means he has something big planned so make sure to stay alert and ready.' Albus told the assembled members of the Order of the Phoenix.

Just then there was a pounding at the outer door to the Headmaster's office, they Order members could hear the sounds of crying and sobbing even through the thick wood. Albus held up his hand to signal the members to stay in the meeting room as he together with the four heads of house moved into the office proper and opened the door.

A group of about twelve Gryffindors, all in different stages of shock burst into the room all but one wailing hysterically.

Albus looked at them individually, taking in the remains of curses and hexes that still lingered around them. He finally looked at the only student who wasn't crying.

'Mr Weasley, what happened?'

Ron swallowed, still cradling the sobbing Hermione to his chest. 'Death Eaters.' He said croakily, his hold on his emotions tenuous as best. 'They took Harry. We tried to stop them but they were ready for us.'

Dumbledore stared uncomprehendingly at the Gryffindors. 'Harry's gone?' he breathed.

'Ronald?' Ron's head swivelled to see his mother standing in the doorway to the meeting room.

'Mum.' Ron's eyes filled with tears and his face creased in sorrow. 'They took him. The bastards took him and I couldn't stop them.' Molly Weasley didn't hesitate, not even admonishing his language as she crossed the room to hug both sixteen year olds and the other members of the Order moved into the room and began comforting the students. Poppy immediately casting healing charms on the many cuts and scrapes the children had.

'Albus, we must do something?' Minerva hissed. Dumbledore looked at her, his eyes unfocused. 'Albus?' she said again.

'How did they get in?' Filius Flitwick squeaked. 'How many were there?'

Arthur Weasley, realising that even Albus was in shock, turned to his youngest son prying him out of his mother's arms and clasping his shoulders firmly. 'Ron, listen to me. If you want to help Harry you have to be strong. We need you to tell us exactly what happened.'

Ron swallowed and nodded firmly. 'About an hour ago I heard a noise and woke up.' He began softly. 'But before I could move I was hit with a stunner. I could still see and hear though and I saw them. There were about ten of them. Robed and masked but I know both Wormtail and Malfoy were among them. I recognized their voices.'

'What happened next?' Arthur said gently.

Ron stiffened slightly. 'Five of them cast Crucio on Harry, all at once.' Several stifled cries echoed around the room. 'They must have had a silencing charm up because I couldn't hear him. I could see his face though when they took it off. His eyes and his nose; they were bleeding.' He finished in a horrified whisper. Tears were pouring down Ron's cheeks but he didn't stop talking, wanting to get the recitation over as quickly as possible. 'Neville and the others had been stunned as well but they didn't know that Hermione was curled up in a chair in the corner.'

Many eyebrows shot skyward at that statement and a number of eyes turned in Hermione's direction. 'Harry had a nightmare. He was scared to go back to sleep. I stayed with him till he was, but he was still restless so I decided to sleep in the chair. It's very comfortable.' Hermione mumbled from her place still in Molly Weasley's firm grasp.

Minerva's eyes narrowed. 'Do you sleep there often, Miss Granger?'

Hermione flushed. 'Only when Harry is really bad.' she admitted hesitantly.

'And how often is that?'

'Every night practically.' Neville sighed. The adults in the room all exchanged glances.

'Why didn't anyone say anything?' Minerva finally spoke.

'Does it matter any more?' Ron suddenly burst out. 'Harry's gone. We should be out looking for him, not standing around here deciding if Hermione sleeping in a chair contravenes school rules. For Merlin's sake. That bastard has him. He could be doing anything to him.' The rant finished, sapping every ounce of strength Ron had and he dropped abruptly into a chair that was thankfully beside him. 'He's gone.' He whispered softly.

'Mr Weasley.' Albus knelt beside the chair, his mental faculties having returned. 'You are right, but we need to find out what happened next.'

Ron nodded, never lifting his eyes from the floor. 'Hermione woke when they were leaving. They had just flung him over someone's shoulder and they weren't being nearly as quiet when they left as they were when they arrived. She looked at me and I tried to tell her what was wrong. Thankfully she understood and countered the spell just as the door was closing. We released the others and managed to surprise them in the common room. We were sending curses loud enough to wake the dead and soon the others joined us from upstairs. The Death Eaters ran back to the statue of the humpback witch and went inside. It leads to the cellar in Honeydukes. We tried to follow them but they collapsed the tunnel. We didn't know what else to do so we came here.' Ron finally raised his head and looked accusingly at the headmaster. 'Why didn't you know? You should have known. You should have been there.'

Dumbledore suddenly looked old. 'You're a right, young Ronald. I do not know why the wards didn't trigger at the use of the Unforgivables but I will find out.'

Ron stared at him in silence for a moment. 'You will find him, won't you?' he pleaded. Albus looked up at his potions master who shook his head. Looking back at Ron he could only nod and hope he was able to keep that promise.

With a sigh he stood up, his command returning to him. 'Filius, Pomona, you may want to check your houses just to be sure. Severus, you know what I have to ask you?' he said sadly. Snape nodded, spinning on his heel and stalking from the room. 'Mad-eye, Kingsley, I need you all to check the rest of the castle and the grounds and Hogsmeade. I don't believe they would still be here but it's better to be safe then sorry.' The majority of the Order members left leaving the rest to help the students back to Gryffindor Tower.

'Come on, Ron.' Arthur Weasley gently helped his son to his feet, but Ron shrugged his hands off, immediately reaching for Hermione who folded into his arms without hesitation.

'We'll find him, Mione.' He whispered as they walked slowly from the room, the other Gryffindors following slowly behind.

The entire Gryffindor house was waiting in the common room when they returned with McGonagall, the Headmaster and the other adults. It was obvious that most had been crying and all looked to be either in shock or on the way to it. Albus was not surprised. To have a single supposed criminal try to break into your dormitory was one thing, to have ten Death Eaters cast an unforgivable before kidnapping a friend from the next room was quite another altogether.

He closed his eyes for a moment and held out his hands. He could feel something was off with the room and followed the trail of magic; the few students in his way quickly moving out of it as the rest just watched on in confusion. He opened his eyes as his hand closed over a small innocuous looking stone that had been sitting innocently on the mantelpiece.

'Albus?' Minerva questioned and Dumbledore looked up at her, his eyes tired.

'A ward stone.' He said quietly.

'How in Merlin's name would he have gotten hold on one of those?' Arthur Weasley burst out.

'Professor Dumbledore?' a scared second year asked tremulously, before the headmaster could respond. Dumbledore placed a hand on the boy's shoulder and watched as Ron and Hermione finally turned away and moved silently through the room, their arms still around each other to walk back up the steps to the boy's dormitory.

Molly moved to follow them but Arthur held her arm. 'Leave it, Molly. They need each other tonight.' He said softly.

Dumbledore nodded to himself before he realised the students were still waiting for him to speak. 'I'm sorry for what happened tonight but please know that everything is being done to ensure your safety. The castle and grounds are being checked and any other ways in will be blocked permanently. The wards will be readjusted as well.' He added looking down at the stone in his hand.

'Bit bloody late now.' Neville muttered sarcastically before moving towards the stairs. Dean and Seamus followed the rest of the room parting once more to allow the sixth years through.

'Quite.' Dumbledore said softly.

'I think you should all return to bed now. Hopefully we will have some news of Harry in the morning.' Minerva said briskly, pushing students towards their dormitories until the common room was empty.

_Flashback end _

That had been four months ago. Of course nothing had been heard of from Harry that next day or any day after that. It hadn't been until a week ago that Severus had overheard Lucius boasting and had managed to subtly goad the other man into telling him that Harry was in fact alive and where he was being kept. It was quite a feat, tricking Lucius Malfoy like that, even for Severus Snape.

They had planned secretly, only telling Minerva and Poppy just in case something happened. Snape had found out as many details as he could and then this morning after he knew that that shifts visitors had left and they had an hour before he knew the next ones would arrive, the two men had apparated to a forest nearby and snuck into the building, stunning and binding the two Death Eaters standing guard at the door.

Albus finally looked up as Poppy sighed and sunk down into the chair beside the bed. 'Do we need anyone else?' he asked softly.

Poppy glanced over at him and shook her head. 'No, but I'm not sure we've done him any favours.' She whispered, tears filling her eyes. Albus raised a curious eyebrow and Poppy turned back to look at the now heavily bandaged figure on the bed. 'Albus, I've never seen such injuries, and it's not just the outside. There are signs of scarring throughout his body that can't have been made with magic. They used him, Albus, like a toy. God only knows the state of his mind.'

'We will have to wait and see. How long will he have to be sedated for?'

'At least a few days, maybe longer. Particularly after that performance on his arrival.'

'The students arrive back in a week.' The headmaster said speculatively.

'There's no way, Albus. He will not be ready by then.' Poppy said firmly. 'In fact I don't know if he will ever be ready.'

Albus glanced back at Harry, reaching over to take the boy's hand in his own, grimacing at the almost violent flinch the young man gave, even in sleep. 'I'm sorry Harry.' He whispered. 'I'm sorry we didn't protect you but you're safe now. I promise. I won't let anything happen to you ever again.'

Poppy stood up and squeezed the headmaster's shoulder. 'I need to get a few more potions from Severus' stores. I'll be back.'

Dumbledore nodded absently, never taking his eyes from the prone figure as she walked out the door.

* * *

><p>It was many hours later and quite dark when footsteps echoed up the corridor causing Dumbledore to snap out of his daze.<p>

'Severus?' he called out tentatively.

'Yes Albus, it's me.' Came the potions master's hoarse voice as, together with Minerva, he swept into the hospital wing. Albus could see the haggard pallor and the slight trembling in the younger man's hands and knew that it hadn't been just a small amount of Crucio his boy had suffered that night.

'I gather he was upset.' He stated.

'Just a bit.' Snape murmured, casting an eye over the figure in the bed whose bruised and mottled face looked worse in the candle light. 'He was pretty rough on me, but I actually thought he was going to kill Lucius at one point. He believed the story, especially with the large lump on my head.' He fingered the sore lump that remained.

'Did he use Veritaserum?' Albus asked.

Snape shook his head and crossed the few steps to peer closer at Harry's face. 'No. But he did use _your_ supposed use of it as a reason to show how wrong the light side can be.'

Albus snorted and crossed to stand beside the younger man. 'Poppy fixed all she could.'

'What of his mind?'

The headmaster shrugged. 'We do not yet know the extent of that. They may have used one too many Cruciatus on him.'

Snape shook his head again. 'No, it won't be from that, I skimmed Crabbe's mind. After that first one the Dark Lord forbade it; said that Potter couldn't get his just desserts if he was too insane to enjoy it. Instead they used just about anything and everything else. You can expect his nightmares of old to return with frightening vengeance. It may be better just to Obliviate him so he doesn't remember.'

'Wash your mouth out, Severus Snape.' Poppy said curtly as she crossed the room to cast another diagnostic spell on her patient. 'You may be able to Obliviate the memories but not the emotions that go with them. How would you explain to him the fear he feels when someone touches him, when they point a wand at him, when they try to kiss him goodnight or something simple like that.'

'You don't mean….' Minerva trailed off.

Poppy glanced at her sharply. 'I mean exactly that. Mr Potter has been abused in every way shape and form. I would be surprised if he manages to come back from this.'

'It can't be that bad, surely.' Minerva insisted.

'Watch this.' Albus told him and reached over to lay his hand over the boy's. No one missed the enormous flinch Harry gave, even under the sleeping draught.

'Great Merlin's ghost.' Minerva breathed, holding a hand over her mouth as horrified eyes looked down at her student.

'Are we telling anyone?' Snape voice was quieter now.

Albus shook his head. 'Not yet.'

'Albus, you must tell Mr Weasley and Miss Granger at least. I don't know how much longer they can keep going without any news.' Minerva insisted.

Albus sighed. 'Alright, but only them. I will call for them in a few days.'

The Gryffindor Head of House nodded in acceptance and the four adults sat down to watch the young man through the night.

* * *

><p>They kept Harry sedated for three more days until his bruises started to fade and his cuts had all healed, leaving his body a cross crossing map of scars. On the fourth day Harry woke, immediately flinging himself off the bed and into the corner. Albus felt his eyes fill at the automatic reaction of going from full sleep to full wakefulness within seconds in order to be on alert for some danger. Poppy moved towards him but Albus stopped her with a hand on her arm. Harry's eyes darted wildly around the room. From Albus sitting in a soft armchair, his blue eyes twinkling kindly, set off by his robes which were of almost the same hue. Poppy stood behind him, her matronly white apron garnering no more reaction from Harry than Dumbledore's had. Minerva's green tartan little more but as Harry's eyes landed on Snape's black attire his eyes almost fell out of his head.<p>

He curled into a ball smaller than thought possible as his eyes widened in fear, never leaving the potions master's black robes. 'Please no.' he whispered. 'Please don't. Please, I'm sorry. Please don't. No.' The begging continued for almost a minute before fading as the black robes turned into a bright yellow, courtesy of the headmaster's wand and much to Snape's disgust. Harry slowed his frantic pleading and looked curiously at the new robes. It was almost another minute before they saw comprehension dawn in Harry's dull green eyes.

'Harry?' Albus said softly but it was enough to startle the young man whose head whipped around sharply. 'Harry, do you know who I am?' He said it very softly and no one had moved yet.

Harry's fearful green eyes widened but he nodded. 'Yes, Professor.' He whispered hoarsely.

'Do you remember Professor McGonagall, Professor Snape and Madame Pomfrey?'

Harry looked at each one in turn before nodding. 'Yes.' He whispered. 'You can turn him back now. I don't think he likes yellow.' He added the tip of his finger peeking out at Snape from behind his knees.

'Are you sure?' Albus asked hesitantly.

Harry nodded. 'Yes, I just didn't see his face, only the black. Sorry.' He murmured.

The headmaster waved his wand in Snape's direction but instead of turning black they stayed a dark blue. Harry who had tensed in anticipation relaxed slightly and Snape decided it would be better for them to stay this way, at least for the moment. 'Quite alright, Harry. I do understand.' Albus said softly.

Harry looked up at him, his eyes filled with betrayal. 'Do you really? Understand I mean. And if you understood so well why didn't you come and find me.' He whispered brokenly. All in the room felt a wave of guilt wash over them, Albus more than the others.

'I did try.' The headmaster said honestly.

A single tear rolled down Harry's cheek and he turned away further into the corner, burying his face in his arms as his shoulders shook. 'Not hard enough.' He sobbed.

* * *

><p>'Miss Granger, Mr Weasley. I have to tell you, before you go in, that Harry has suffered through a great ordeal. His physical injuries have healed but the mental scars could remain for some time. You must be very careful not to make any fast movements and whatever you do, don't try to touch him.'<p>

Ron and Hermione exchanged glances. 'We understand, Sir. Can we see Harry now?' Hermione asked hopefully.

Albus sighed and nodded, pushing open the door to the hospital wing and gesturing to the two teenagers to go in. To their credit they didn't rush across the room and fling their arms around him as soon as they laid eyes on him, instead slowly walking across the room to stand nervously near his bed, as Harry sat curled up in a chair staring unseeing out the window.

'Harry?' Hermione said softly. Harry's head whipped around so fast he lost his balance and toppled from the chair. Hermione acted without thinking, immediately darting forward to catch him.

As soon as her hands touched his shoulders he let out an inhuman shriek, scuttling into the corner, curling into a tight ball and murmuring 'No, please no.' over and over.

'Oh my.' Hermione whispered, her hands over her mouth in shock as tears fell down her cheeks.

The door to Poppy's office opened and Dumbledore, Snape and the medi-witch came out, quickly crossing the room, Snape glaring at the two Gryffindors to move out of the way before both he and Poppy knelt down near to Harry but not close enough to scare the boy further.

'Harry. Can you here me?' she said softly. 'It's alright. No one is going to touch you.' Harry didn't move from his position and Snape rolled his eyes but obligingly began murmuring in a soft voice.

'Harry, come on now. You're safe here. Miss Granger and Mr Weasley have come to see you. They've been very worried about you.' The voice was soft but if you listened carefully you could hear the distain at having to talk to Potter of all people like this.

In spite of the tone Harry did stop murmuring and raise his head slightly to look at them through fearful green eyes.

'It's alright, it was just Miss Granger. She didn't want you to hurt yourself.' Poppy said softly. 'Why don't you come back to bed now, Harry. The stone floor must be very cold and uncomfortable.'

'Not when you get used to it.' Harry murmured but he did uncurl from his foetal position and crawl crabwise along the wall until he could get to his bed without getting any closer to anyone than he had to.

Snape and Poppy exchanged glances. 'Are you hungry, Harry?' she asked softly. 'You've barely eaten since you got here.'

Harry's eyes widened fearfully and with a violent shake of his head he curled back up in a ball. 'No food. Please no food.' He murmured.

Poppy's eyebrows shot skywards but Snape shook his head and summoned a house elf to bring a bowl of soup which he placed quietly on the table beside the bed. 'This is some soup for you Harry.' He said soothingly. 'You don't have to do anything for it. It's all yours. Just eat it when you feel like it. I promise we don't want anything from you for it.' With a hand on Poppy's arm he gestured for the medi-witch to move away and both crossed to where Dumbledore was standing with the two Gryffindors and herded them all into the office and waited, leaving the door open.

It took almost ten minutes before Harry, realising that they weren't going to come back, finally sat up and pulled the bowl towards him and began to eat. He did it nervously, his eyes constantly scanning the room to see if anyone was going to come back.

'What was that about?' Albus asked.

Snape glanced back, checking to see that Harry was still eating before answering. 'That's how they worked.' He said simply. 'They wouldn't have fed him unless they wanted something…or as a reward.'

'A reward. For what?' Ron asked quizzically.

Snape raised a sardonic eyebrow. 'Say for not screaming as they shattered the bones in his hand.'

Hermione yelped and Ron turned green and bolted through the door to the bathroom. As soon as the red head returned Albus spoke. 'As I told you before, the mental scars are going to take quite some time to heal.'

'What happened exactly?' Hermione asked.

Snape snorted. 'You really want to know Miss Granger?' he asked scornfully. 'I don't think your delicate sensibilities could quite handle it.'

'Hey.' Ron bit out. 'We want to know so we can help Harry.'

The potions master sneered. 'Knowing won't help you. It will just stop you from sleeping peacefully for the rest of your life.'

'Severus.' The headmaster admonished. Snape snapped his mouth closed and folded his arms sulkily. 'Mr Weasley, Miss Granger, I don't believe telling you exactly what happed would be in Harry's best interests. Just remember that the boy you knew four months ago is gone and a fearful damaged child has returned in his place.'

Hermione and Ron exchanged glances. 'Professor,' Hermione said slowly. 'Why did you stand over with us when Harry got scared before?'

Albus sighed, his eyes glazing slightly. 'Harry believes I have failed him. He doesn't get scared around me but his trust in me is shattered.'

'Past where it can be repaired?' Hermione voiced the one question they had all been avoiding over the last days.

'I sincerely hope not.' The headmaster murmured. The silence permeated the small room before finally Snape glanced outside and saw that Harry had eaten about a quarter of the soup before falling asleep.

Quietly the group made their way out into the main room. Poppy carefully removed the bowl and Ron and Hermione sat down on the bed next to Harry. 'Remember, don't touch him and try not to move when he wakes. Stay sitting down and just talk to him softly.' The medi-witch said quietly and the two Gryffindors nodded before turning back to watch their best friend sleep.

* * *

><p>'I never thought we'd see him again.' Hermione whispered.<p>

Ron looked at Harry's pained expression, even in sleep and shook his head. 'We won't.' he whispered back. 'This isn't Harry.'

'Of course it's Harry.' Hermione hissed incredulously.

'No, it's not.'

'He's under there somewhere. We just have to find him.' She insisted.

'Good luck.' Ron murmured. Hermione glared at him before turning back to the bed, startled to see green eyes watching them curiously.

'Mione.' Harry whispered. Hermione smiled and nodded.

'Sorry if we woke you.'

Harry's eyes widened slightly but he sat slowly up and shifted nervously closer. His hand was trembling violently as he reached out and placed it tentatively on top of Ron's. Both Gryffindors froze barely daring to breathe as Harry swallowed noticeably and licked his lips. 'I'm still here Ron.' He whispered huskily before pulling his hand back quickly as his breathing difficulties threatened to turn into a full blown panic attack.

'Harry, it's okay. You're safe here.' Hermione whispered, desperately stamping on the urge to move and comfort him. Ron and Hermione waited as Harry's curled up into his comforting ball once again and steadied his breathing. It took several minutes before he could look up again.

'Please don't leave me.' Harry whispered tearfully. Hermione and Ron both gasped.

'We won't.' Ron said firmly, his previous comments forgotten.

'We'll always be here for you.' Hermione promised, taking Ron's hand in hers.

With a nervous breath Harry moved closer once more and reached out that same trembling hand to clasp his two best friend's hands in it. Hermione moved to place her hand on top of his but Ron shook his head sharply and she dropped it back in her lap. They waited as Harry sucked in several lungfuls of air, his eyes darting wildly behind closed lids as he fingers clenched fearfully. Several times they felt him almost pull away but eventually he relaxed slightly and opened his eyes, giving them a wan smile.

'Thank you.' He whispered. Ron and Hermione just grinned at him.

In the office, where the teachers still watched, all three let out the large breath they had been holding.

'The brat is one strong kid, I'll give him that.' Snape murmured. Dumbledore beamed at him and all three continued to watch through the open door as over the next few hours Harry slowly came out of the shell he was hiding in and allowed his friends to get closer to him.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer – Isn't mine.

**Chapter 2 – A Wizard's Oath**

It was late. The sun had gone down hours before, leaving the hospital wing in shadows as Ron and Hermione sat quietly in the corner. They had moved into Poppy's office after it became clear Harry wouldn't fall asleep with anyone still in the same room, only coming out when they could see he had finally dozed off.

'How could anyone do that to him?' Hermione murmured causing Ron to lift his head and open his eyes from the chair he had been sitting in. 'He's never intentionally hurt anyone in his whole life. It's just not fair.' Hermione went on.

'Hermione, listen to yourself.' Ron said softly. 'When has anything in Harry's life been fair? Why should it be any different now?' he added bitterly.

Hermione fell silent again, her eyes peering across the gloomy wing to the restless figure by the single candle. Both had refused to leave before dinner even though Harry wouldn't eat until he had been reassured several times over that they didn't want anything from him and he was left alone.

The two Gryffindors had watched their friend from Poppy's office, eating half heartedly, their own meals balanced in their laps. Harry stared at the food for an indeterminable amount of time before picking up a spoonful and swallowing it. He would then look around nervously as if expecting someone before finally taking another spoonful. It would take him almost an hour to eat half a bowlful of soup.

Poppy had told them a little bit about what had happened to their friend. About how he would be visited four times a day everyday. About some of the things she had guessed from his injuries they had done to him, watered down of course, and, from years of knowing and listening to Severus Snape, about just how easy it was for Voldemort to break somebody.

A whimper from across the wing roused Hermione from her thoughts and the sixteen year old quickly but silently moved closer to the bed, not noticing Ron on her heels.

'No.' Harry whispered. 'Please don't.' Hermione stuffed her fingers in her mouth to stop her from crying out as Harry began thrashing wildly as if someone was attacking him.

'No! Stop, please!' Harry screamed. 'No. I promise I won't. Please don't! No!'

'Harry?' Hermione said softly.

'Noooooo!' Harry screamed again as his back arched up off the bed, his legs kicking and arm flailing. 'Please no!'

Hermione went to move closer but found her shoulders grasped in firm hands. 'Stay back.' Ron said firmly.

Hermione spun to face him. 'Look at him. He's going to hurt himself.'

'You'll only make it worse. I just sent Dobby for Dumbledore and the others, they'll be here any minute.' Ron insisted, keeping his head even if he also wanted to rush forward and help his friend.

Just then Harry let out a bone chilling scream, shocking Ron and Hermione both, before laying limp and pale.

'Is he dead?' Ron asked hesitantly.

Don't be ridiculous.' Hermione scoffed but her voice shook slightly. 'Harry?' she said softly. 'Harry?' a little louder.

Nothing.

Tentatively Hermione crept closer, trying to discern by the dim light whether Harry was in fact breathing.

'Don't you know the diagnostic spell?' Ron whispered.

'No. Do you?' Hermione hissed back.

'No.' Ron snapped. 'But you know everything else.'

Hermione glared at him before slowly reaching forward.

'What are you doing?' Ron hissed.'

'Checking his pulse. The muggle way.'

'I wouldn't do that.' The red head warned.

'Just shut up Ron.' Hermione bit out turning back to Harry.

'Where the hell is Dumbledore.' Ron pleaded to thin air.

Hermione ignored him and with a slightly shaking hand moved to press two fingers against Harry's jugular. She almost died when his eyes snapped open.

'No.' he whispered. 'No!' The scream practically deafened her before Harry some how rolled off the bed and onto the floor scuttling across the bare stone into the darkest corner which happened to be where the bathroom was. The resounding slam of the door by wandless magic in response to Harry's panic echoed loudly through the room.

It was at that point that the four teachers joined them once again. The Order meeting hurriedly concluded before they had rushed down stairs.

'What happened? Where's Mr Potter?' Poppy asked looking at the empty bed.

Reluctantly Hermione lifted her arm and pointed to the closed bathroom door. 'He's in there.' She whispered sheepishly.

The medi-witch's eyes narrowed. 'And just what is he doing in there?'

'I…I scared him again.' She said sadly.

Seeing Poppy about to launch into a full blown tirade Albus thought he should intervene. 'What happened, Miss Granger?' he asked calmly.

Hermione looked as if she was about to cry so Ron spoke. 'Harry was having a nightmare. Bloody bad one too.' Ron swore, ignoring the glare from his Head of House. 'He was thrashing about in the bed. We thought he might hurt himself so we moved a little closer to check on him. Suddenly he screamed and then everything stopped. He fainted I think. We couldn't tell if he was breathing or not so Hermione went to check his pulse. He hadn't fainted and, well, you can probably guess the rest.'

Snape rolled his eyes and followed Poppy over to the bathroom door.

'Severus, your robes.' Dumbledore gestured to the black protective robes the man had changed into earlier that day to brew some potions.

The potions master stopped and glared before stalking back towards the door. 'You do it then.' He hissed. The indignity of having to be civil to Harry Potter in front of his friends more than once had obviously hit a nerve as, without even a by your leave, he stalked out of the room.

Even Dumbledore looked stunned but obligingly, albeit tentatively, crossed to stand beside Poppy.

'Harry. Harry, it's Madame Pomfrey, please can you open the door.' She pleaded quietly. 'I promise no one wants to hurt you here. We just want to help you.'

There was silence from the other side of the door.

'Please Harry. Just open the door and come out. We'll stand over on the other side of the room if you want.' The medi-witch went on.

Still nothing.

Poppy turned to Albus and shrugged, gesturing for him to go on before stepping back to stand beside Hermione.

'Harry, dear boy, please open the door.' Albus said softly. 'I know you don't trust me to keep you safe but I know you know I would never hurt you intentionally. Please Harry, can you just let me in so we can talk. I know you have more you want to talk about. Please.'

Ron and Hermione exchanged glances as the headmaster voice took on a pleading tone that neither ever thought they would have heard from the man.

'Please Harry.' Dumbledore begged again and suddenly the door clicked open and light flooded out of the room illuminating the headmaster's face enabling the two Gryffindors to clearly see his tear stained cheeks.

Albus, quickly shaking himself out of the shock he was in that Harry had actually opened the door, did something he hadn't done since he was just a baby. He got down on his knees and crawled into the room; Hermione and Ron would work out later it was in order not to frighten their friend. Moments later the door snapped shut plunging the wing into darkness once more and leaving three very curious people to just sit and wait.

* * *

><p>'Harry, are you alright?' Dumbledore asked gently.<p>

'Not really.' Harry whispered.

'I wish I could take it all away from you Harry.'

'I know.' Harry shifted slightly from his ball in the corner of the room. 'But you can't.'

Dumbledore sighed. 'Talk to me Harry. Tell what you're feeling. Scream at me, swear at me, hit me even, I don't care, you just need to let your feelings out.'

Harry's head raised slightly and Dumbledore gasped at the pain that radiated from the green eyes. 'Why did you leave me with the Dursleys?' Harry whispered.

The old wizard's eyes widened. That hadn't been quite the question he had been expecting. 'I…' Dumbledore trailed off. 'The blood magic. It was the only thing that could protect you, and I thought you could grow up normally there, not as a hero, not as the boy-who-lived but as just Harry.'

Harry snorted. 'But I wasn't just Harry was I?' he said sarcastically, dropping his head back onto his knees. 'I was the Freak.'

Albus heart clenched. 'I'm sorry Harry. I should have checked. No one should ever have to grow up the way you did.'

Harry was silent for sometime and the headmaster thought he might have fallen asleep but he suddenly looked up again.

'Did you know about Quirrell?' he blurted out.

Again Albus' eyes widened. 'No.' he said adamantly. 'I knew someone or something was after the Stone but I didn't know it was him.'

'What about Moody?'

'No.' Albus again shook his head. This wasn't quite how he'd expected this conversation to go.

Harry was silent for several minutes. 'Why didn't you stop them from making me compete?' The question was cryptic but Albus knew exactly what he meant.

'At the time, I didn't really think about it. I figured it might be good experience.'

'What doesn't kill us makes us stronger.' Harry muttered.

'Something like that. It was wrong. I see that now.'

'Hindsight is a bitch, isn't it.' Harry stated.

'Quite.' Dumbledore smiled inwardly as Harry leaned his head back against the wall. He didn't close his eyes though as the old Harry would have but at least he didn't look as if he was about to try and shrink to the size of a snitch or flee at the first possible opportunity.

'The Philosopher's Stone, Sirius, the Chamber of Secrets, the Ministry. Where they just all tests too?' Harry finally asked, his voice betraying him.

Albus looked thoughtfully at him. 'I won't lie to you Harry, not anymore. I didn't plan on them being, but when the pieces began to fall into place and I worked out what was going on, I should have stepped in and I didn't.' he said honestly.

Harry looked piercingly at him for quite some time before he stood and trembling fiercely crossed to stand in the middle of the room and crouched down. Albus realised that it was to get a better look in his eyes. Obviously the next question was going to be important and he opened his mind, allowing the young man to see anything he wanted.

'Did you…..' Harry took a deep breath. 'Did you let them in?' It took several moments before the meaning of what Harry was asking dawned on him, but when it did, the look of absolute horror on the headmaster's face would have convinced Harry even without seeing the memories of the night Ron and the others burst into the Headmaster's office.

'Oh Merlin, no, Harry. You have to believe me.'

Harry ended the legilimens and nodded. 'I do.' He said hoarsely before curling back up into his ball and crying softly.

Albus didn't know what to do. He wanted to cross the room and hold the damaged child but he couldn't. We watched helplessly as Harry began rocking backwards and forwards. 'Harry?' he said quietly. 'Please talk to me, tell me what you are feeling.'

'I want you to hold me, but I can't.' Harry sobbed. 'I can only feel their hands. Their hands all over me. Hitting and cutting and crushing and holding. I want them to stop but they won't. I can't feel anything else anymore.'

Albus made a decision and slowly, so not to alarm the poor child, pulled his wand out of his robes and rolled it across the floor to where Harry sat before shifting slightly closer and reaching out his hand. Harry looked up at the clattering noise to find the headmaster's wand at his feet and the old man's hand only feet from him, palm up.

'Trust me, Harry. Please. I won't hurt you.' Albus said gently, allowing his concern to shine in his eyes.

Harry glanced down at the wand, picking it up with one hand before looking at the pale hand only feet away. Albus could see the desperation warring with the fear and waited patiently. It took almost ten minutes but just as Albus was thinking he should move away Harry's hand poked out of its hiding place in the sleeve of his pyjamas and shakingly reached out towards the headmaster's.

'You can do it, Harry.' Albus whispered encouragingly. Harry glanced up to lock with blue eyes, his green eyes, still bright with tears but also sparkling with need. 'Come on my dear boy. I won't hurt you. I promise you're safe with me.'

Harry's eyes never left the older wizard's as his trembling hand landed in the others. Albus could see the boy struggling not to panic and didn't move, not squeezing the hand, not smiling, nothing.

Albus couldn't have told you how long they sat there, it could have been ten minutes, it could have been two hours. His entire world was condensed into the small figure in front of him and the trembling hand clasped in his.

'P…p…professor?' Harry stammered. 'Will you stay here with me?' Harry whispered.

Albus smiled, his eyes twinkling blindingly. 'Of course, dear boy. I will stay with you for as long as you need me.' Harry gave him a small smile and they sat in silence.

CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

As light began to filter in from the window, Harry looked up. They had sat in comfortable silence for many hours, content just to sit beside each other. Harry hadn't moved any closer but he had allowed Dumbledore to rub soothing circles with his thumb on the back of his hand and in those hours a bridge of need and trust had been built. Albus realised that Harry needed someone he could rely on now more than ever and knew that without it, the boy would be lost to them forever. He spent that time thinking of ways to bring Harry back to them and the best one finally hit him just as the sun began to peek over the horizon and he gave the hand in his a small squeeze.

'Are you hungry, Harry?' Albus asked softly. Harry shook his head.

'I'm tired.' He said nervously.

Dumbledore smiled. 'We should get you into bed then, shouldn't we?' Harry eyes widened and he clasped Dumbledore's wand tightly in his hand. 'I have to get up now, Harry. Do you want to stand up first?'

Harry looked torn and seemed unable to decide so Albus tried to loosen his hand but Harry wouldn't let him, clasping onto it for dear life. Albus knew that Harry had anchored himself to him because he had finally been honest with the boy and Harry needed that more than anything at the moment. He just wished he had done it years ago.

'Please don't leave.' Harry begged softly.

Albus shook his head. 'I promised I wouldn't, didn't I? Now, how about we stand together, nice and slowly?' Harry who seemed more fearful that Albus would let go, nodded quickly and Albus, being extremely careful not to get any closer to the boy, stood slowly matching Harry's tense movement.

'There now, that wasn't so bad.' Still moving slowly he edged towards the door and opened it. 'Poppy, can you please take Miss Granger and Mr Weasley into your office and wait for me there.' He called out.

'Albus, what is going on?' Poppy's voice called back from across the wing.

'Just go please, Poppy.' He called again, careful to keep his voice light. He could feel Harry's hand trembling in his own and gave it a gentle tug as he heard three sets of footsteps disappear into the office.

'Come on Harry. Let's get you tucked into bed.' He said soothingly, crossing the room quietly as Harry trailed nervously behind. The young man climbed into bed, never relinquishing his hold on the older wizard's hand.

'Harry, don't you want to go to sleep?' Dumbledore asked. Harry looked fearfully around the room before shaking his head.

'I'm tired.' He admitted in a whisper. 'But I'm scared.'

'There's nothing to be afraid of Harry. I stay with you as long as you need me and I promise I won't let anything happen to you ever again.' Dumbledore promised. Harry again tried to see the sincerity in the headmaster's eyes and was obviously happy with what he saw in the dim light because he reluctantly pulled his hand from inside the bigger one and clasped it over his other which still held Albus' wand in it.

'Thank you.' Harry whispered.

Albus smiled. 'I'll just be in with Madame Pomfrey, but you call out if you need anything, alright?'

Harry nodded and watched the headmaster walk across the room and disappear through the door before he finally let down his guard enough to close his eyes and go to sleep.

* * *

><p>Dumbledore chuckled at the shocked expressions from the three faces as he walked into the medi-witch's office.<p>

'What on earth happened?' Poppy finally asked. 'You were in there for more than six hours.'

Albus glanced back through the door, pleased to see that Harry had fallen asleep. 'We talked. He asked me questions and I told him the truth. He cried for a while and I knew he needed comfort so I gave him my wand and he let me hold his hand.'

'For six hours?'

Albus snorted. 'No, it was only about five. The talking took about an hour first.'

Poppy's eyes narrowed. 'And what was all that about staying as long as he needs you?'

Dumbledore glanced at the two Gryffindors. 'Mr Weasley, Miss Granger, why don't you two go and sit with Harry again; but no touching.' He said firmly.

Ron and Hermione nodded and darted quickly from the room.

'Poppy.' Albus said, turning back to the medi-witch. 'I have made a promise to Harry and I plan on keeping it.'

'But Albus, the boy needs round the clock care. You are the headmaster of this school and you have students returning tomorrow. How are you going to fit it in? The school should come first.'

'Not any more Poppy, I failed Harry in the worst possible way. I cared more about a prophecy then I did about the boy and I allowed him to be hurt almost every year by telling myself it would make him stronger.'

'But the students. Albus, I must protest. You can't show such blatant favouritism to one student, even if he is Harry Potter.'

'Harry comes first.' Dumbledore said adamantly.

'The board won't like it when they find out.' Poppy warned.

Dumbledore glanced out into the wing. He could see Ron and Hermione pretending they weren't listening to the rather loud conversation and he thought he could see a slit of green also peering in their direction. 'Then let them find out sooner rather than later.' He said firmly. 'I, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, so solemnly swear to protect and nurture one Harry James Potter from this moment on. I swear to honour the memory of his mother and I too would lay my life down for his. I further swear to hold him as the pivotal point in my life. This I swear on my magic as a wizard.' Albus finished, a soft white glow encompassing him before fading.

'Albus, what have you done?' Poppy breathed.

Dumbledore smiled. 'Something I should have done many years ago.' He said firmly. 'Now if you will excuse me, I have some arrangements to make.' Poppy just stared at him in disbelief as he walked out of the office and crossed to Harry's bed, Ron sitting open mouthed on the one next to it and Hermione on a chair nearby, her expression puzzled.

'Harry? Harry my boy, wake up.' Dumbledore said gently. Green eyes opened and Albus could see the hope shining brightly in them. He knew Harry had heard every word as he hadn't flinched away on waking like he normally did. 'I have to go and see to a few things. Ron and Hermione will stay with you and Poppy will be in her office, alright?'

Harry nodded, glancing over at his two friends. 'Yes.' He whispered. Dumbledore smiled and nodded before winking at the two Gryffindors and walking swiftly from the room.

'Bloody hell.' Ron breathed as the door closed.

'What was that?' Hermione asked and Ron gaped at her.

'Hermione Granger doesn't know something?' he asked incredulously.

'Shut up, you prat.' Hermione snapped, punching him lightly on the shoulder. Harry snickered startling the others before clapping both hands over his mouth, wand and all, his eyes darting wildly around the room.

'Harry, it's okay to laugh; it was funny.' Hermione said quickly. Harry shook his head, his eyes glazing over.

'No, no laughing. Not allowed. Hurts, please don't. No.' Harry whispered, a grimace of pain on his face. 'Please no. I won't do it again. I promise. Please no, it hurts!' Harry screamed loudly and curled up in his ball again, shielding his head with his hands.

'Get Madam Pomfrey.' Ron hissed and Hermione practically leapt off the chair and darted across the room to the office.

'Harry.' Ron said softly. 'It's alright, you're safe here with us.'

'Please no. Don't. Ah!' Harry screamed again and it was at that point that Dumbledore swept back into the wing and straight over to Harry's bed just as Poppy and Hermione joined him.

'Harry.' Albus said softly. 'Harry listen to me, No one is touching you. Make the hands go away. You're in the hospital wing. You're safe. No one is going to hurt you here. Picture the hands disappearing in your mind. You can do it, Harry. Listen to my voice. No one is touching you.'

Harry's pleading voice quieted and his harsh breathing was the only sound to be heard.

'That's it. You're safe here. They're all gone.' Dumbledore said gently.

Harry's trembling hand snaked out from under the covers to grab the headmaster's which had been laying gently on the edge of the bed. It seemed to the others as if he was using it like an anchor to keep himself in the present and to stop himself falling back into the memories of the past. 'Gone?' Harry whispered hoarsely.

'Yes, dear boy. There all gone. I promise.' Dumbledore said soothingly. 'Now, would you take a Dreamless Sleep for me, Harry?' he asked hesitantly. Harry's eyes widened impossibly and he literally froze as if petrified. They had found out several days ago that Harry was loathe to willingly get near a potion. Snape had said the Death Eaters had probably used them on the boy and no one had needed the potions master to explain how they were used. Albus signaled to Poppy who handed him a blue vial.

'How about I take a sip first?' he suggested.

Harry's frozen expression melted slightly and he gave a stiff nod. Albus smiled and took a small sip, almost instantly feeling a fuzziness around the edges of his senses. He held the vial out towards Harry who took it with shaking hands. He sniffed it suspiciously glancing up at the encouraging faces before downing it quickly. They could see him tense as he waited for the usual burning pain that accompanied any other potion he had been made to swallow over the last four months but it never came, instead he felt his eyes droop and his mind start to slow. Just before he dropped off he held out his other hand, the one with the headmaster's wand in it, towards the elderly wizard.

Dumbledore shook his head. 'You keep it dear boy.' he said softly and Harry's eyes finally closed.

* * *

><p>Ten minutes later, once Dumbledore was sure Harry was asleep, he finally left and Poppy disappeared back into her office.<p>

'That must have been some talk they had.' Ron murmured.

Hermione shrugged. 'Often after extreme trauma a victim will try and attach themselves to someone they think will protect them. It might not be someone they even know. It can just be someone they sense will not hurt them and is strong enough to stop others from doing so as well.'

'Well Dumbledore will certainly do that now.' Ron breathed.

'What was that anyway? That white glow. And no stupid comments this time.' Hermione said huffily.

Ron stared at his dark haired friend lying in the bed. 'That was a formal Wizard's Oath, Hermione.' He said quietly. 'Magically, by the laws of the wizarding world, the Headmaster has practically adopted Harry. It's never done lightly and it can only be successful if the right intent is there. The meaning behind the words spoken must be the truth otherwise the Oath won't stand.' He finished, sounding a lot like the person he was talking to.

Hermione eyes widened and her jaw dropped. Her mouth opened and closed several times before she gave up and fell silent. It was an eerie quiet that hung in the air as the sun rose and the two Gryffindors watched over their friend.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer – Isn't mine.

**Chapter 3 - Explanations**

Ron and Hermione stayed with Harry until Dumbledore returned late in the afternoon. Harry slept most of the time, only waking and looking around fearfully when the smell of wonderfully cooked food permeated the hospital wing.

Ron and Hermione ate their meal trying to encourage Harry to do the same but Harry refused, burying his head in his hands until Ron and Hermione finished and moved to the far side of the wing, ostensibly to finish their homework before classes started in two days.

Only then did he pick up the bowl of soup and sip at it slowly. It landed back on the bedside table in an instant the moment Dumbledore strode back into the wing. The Headmaster realised almost instantly what had happened and immediately moved quietly to sit in the chair beside the bed.

He looked calculatingly at Harry for a moment before picking up the bowl and taking a spoonful of soup for himself. 'This is very good Harry, isn't it?' he said, taking another spoonful. After a few more he could see the want in Harry's green eyes.

'Would you like some more?' he asked gently, swallowing another mouthful and holding out the spoon.

Harry seemed to be having an internal war with himself.

'I won't hurt you Harry.' Dumbledore said softly. 'It is your soup after all.'

Harry looked furtively around the room before reaching tentatively out to grasp the spoon. Most of the soup landed on the sheets between the bowl and Harry's mouth but he did manage to eat a small amount and the beaming smile on the Headmaster's face encouraged him to try another mouthful.

Twenty minutes later the bowl was empty and Harry was basking in the look of pride on Dumbledore's face.

'Harry, I have something to show you, will you come with me?' Albus asked gently.

The fearful look returned instantly. 'What is it?' He asked warily.

'I have a special room for you. It's in my tower, next to my room, where you will be safe from everyone.' Dumbledore explained.

'A room?' Harry asked hesitantly.

Dumbledore nodded, sensing Harry's reluctance. 'It's a big room with special pictures on the wall. There is a door, with no lock on it. You can open it and leave when ever you want. But it has a hidden door so no one but you and I will know where you are; so that you're safe.'

'No lock?' the small voice was still wary.

Albus sighed. 'Do you trust me, Harry?' he asked. Harry looked thoughtfully at him for several moments before nodding slowly. 'Why don't you just come and look and if you don't like it you can come back here. I swear to you.'

'Alright.' Harry said finally, taking the offered hand and climbing slowly out of bed.

The odd group, because of course, Ron, Hermione and Poppy had to come, trailing several yards behind them, made their way slowly and quietly towards the headmaster's tower. The gargoyle jumped aside as Dumbledore approached and Albus gently tugged Harry up the stairs and into the office. They crossed to a large portrait of Rupert Dangerfield, a headmaster from the seventeenth century, and Albus gave the password, gesturing for Poppy and the others to stay downstairs.

'Sanctuary.' He said quietly.

Harry gave a small smile at the password as the portrait swung open and together they climbed the staircase. Albus came to the top and opened two doors that were opposite each other.

'This room is mine, Harry.' Albus told him. 'The door will always be open should you need me. This room is yours.' He finished, pushing open a door that obviously had no lock, it didn't even have a handle, and gesturing for Harry to go inside.

Harry looked wary about walking in and Dumbledore guessing again, walked in first. His question was answered when Harry followed him in but made sure to stay between him and the door. Albus watched Harry's face carefully as the boy carefully checked the door to see that it, as promised, it didn't contain a lock before looking up and around the room.

Harry's eyes brightened as he took in the charms on the walls depicting open fields and snow covered forests and even a beach. Dumbledore had spent hours on them basing them in the same charms they used to decorate nurseries and building on that.

The room contained a large comfortable bed, a desk and another door that led to a bathroom.

'I hope you can feel comfortable here, dear boy.' Albus said softly.

Harry glanced back at the headmaster and smiled shyly. 'Thank you, Professor.' He whispered.

'Under the circumstances, Harry, I think Albus will be just fine.'

That shy smile made another appearance. 'Thank you, Albus.' The whisper was so quiet that Dumbledore barely heard.

'Is there anything you need Harry?'

Harry shook his head. 'No, thank you.'

'Stop thanking me, dear boy, we're like family now. I would do anything for you.' The words rang with sincerity and Harry swallowed. Albus could see the boy wanting desperately to believe him and hoped that one day he would without question.

'Now,' Albus went on, striding over to the fireplace and throwing some floo powder in. He ordered some more soup and some fruit. 'I have brought you some books and things. I thought you might like to read a bit. Just remember, you are safe here, no one but you and I know the password.'

Harry nodded. 'Thank you.' He said automatically.

Albus sighed. 'Do you want me to stay with you?'

Harry shook his head. 'No thank you Albus.' He whispered. 'I thought I might just take a nap. The walk has tired me out, but thank you for the room, for everything.' Albus smiled and headed towards the door, walking slower the closer he got to Harry.

Harry, knowing the headmaster was leaving and would have to walk through the door braced himself. Albus, watching Harry's breathing increase until it was almost painful, quickened his pace and slipped out the door.

'I'll see you soon, Harry.' He said gently.

Harry, his eyes screwed tightly closed and his jaw clenched, only nodded but Albus heard the sob of relief when the boy realised the door was still open and he wasn't locked in from the outside.

Albus waited just a few steps down the stairs to see whether Harry would close the door but instead he heard the boy lean up against the wall beside the open door and slide to the floor with a sigh, and with a small sigh of his own the headmaster walked slowly back down to his office.

* * *

><p>'Is Harry alright, Professor?' Hermione asked as he stepped through the portrait.<p>

'As he can be, Miss Granger. As he can be.' Albus replied distantly.

'The express just arrived, Albus. Can you leave your charge long enough to watch the sorting?' Poppy said, not a little sarcastically. She still thought the headmaster had done the wrong thing by swearing a wizard's oath to Harry no matter how much the boy needed it.

Albus didn't dignify the comment with a response, instead clasping the two Gryffindor's on the shoulder and steering them towards the door.

The trip down to the great hall was a silent one. Ron and Hermione were unsure of why the medi-witch was so angry about the headmaster's wish to help their friend, but were unwilling to broach the tense air around them to try and find out.

The rest of the staff were waiting when they arrived, McGonagall and Snape looked at the headmaster for confirmation of what Poppy told them was the truth.

'Later.' Was all Albus would say, and rather curtly at that, as the rest of the staff looked between the headmaster and his two most trusted professors in confusion.

Their attention was diverted however as the huge oak doors were thrown open and students began streaming in, all chattering madly. Minerva turned on her heel and strode off the meet the first years as the rest of the staff took their seats.

'Are you going to tell them Potter has been found?' Snape asked quietly.

'Probably not yet.' Albus murmured as he surveyed the hundreds of happy children and thought of the broken one all alone up above his office.

'You know that most of Slytherin will already know we have him, courtesy of Draco.'

Dumbledore nodded. 'Yes. Have you heard from Lucius?' he asked, effectively changing the subject.

Snape growled and rolled his eyes. 'Only the usual missive about how I should have been strong enough to ignore the Veritaserum and several ideas of how I can bring Potter back to them. Apparently he was quite the favoured toy and they desperately him back.'

Albus sucked in an angry breath and his eyes dropped to the table. His mind swirled with the visions that single sentence conjured and he only snapped out of it as Minerva walked swiftly up the centre aisle, a gaggle of first years following her.

The hat sang and the first years were sorted. Dumbledore, in between applauding for each newly sorted student, glanced between two particular seventh year Gryffindors and a single Slytherin seventh year that was smirking back at them maliciously. The rest of the upper year Gryffindors kept their eyes down, obviously Harry was missed more than he would ever know.

Albus knew, just by looking at them, that this year was going to be one filled with trouble. With another sigh he rose, the students quieting almost instantly as they turned towards him expectantly.

'Welcome, welcome to another year at Hogwarts. I trust your holidays were enjoyable and you are all ready for another year of fun and learning. Before we tuck in to this fabulous feast I have a few announcements to make. Surprisingly, or perhaps not, we have a new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher this year.' Several of the older students snickered and Albus gave them a bright smile.

'Nymphadora Tonks has kindly agreed to fill the position. I trust you will show her the respect an Auror of her experience deserves.' Tonks stood up and most of the students, aside from the Slytherins, clapped and then laughed as she knocked over her pumpkin juice as she sat down. Snape did his usual and scowled at her but no one expected any different.

'Any and all Weasley products have been added to Mr Filch's list of banned products. A list of which are posted on his door, and continuing onto the wall next to it.' He added, his eyes twinkling. Another series of snickers erupted at the comment. The Weasley twins had indeed been very busy.

'The forbidden forest is just that, forbidden and I expect all….' Dumbledore's voice trailed off and his eyes became seemingly distant. The students moved restlessly as they waited for the Headmaster to speak. Suddenly he seemed to shake his head.

'Excuse me. Minerva, please continue.' Was all he said before moving his chair out of the way and walking rapidly from the hall.

* * *

><p>The trip to his office, even with the shortcuts, seemed indeterminable. The gargoyle jumped out of the way before he reached it and he quickly climbed the stairs and opened his door. He could hear Harry's cries before he even got the portrait open.<p>

'No, please! Don't! No!' Harry screamed and Albus quickly hurried up the stairs and into the boy's room, kneeling at the side of the bed, being careful not to touch him.

'Harry, dear boy, you're safe.'

'No!' Harry screamed as he curled tighter. Albus could see the sweat pouring off the young man and he wanted nothing more than to wrap his arms around him. 'Please. No! It hurts. Please stop!'

'Harry, dear boy, listen to me. You're safe here, I promise. There is no one there. No hands, no Death Eaters. You're at Hogwarts, with me. You're safe.'

Harry's trembling increased and Albus knew he was waking up. He knew he was awake when the tiny form froze before the eyes blinked open and darted wildly. Dumbledore's heart broke at the look of fear and pain in the boy's eyes.

'Shhh, Harry. It's alright. You're safe here with me. It's just Albus. No one is going to hurt you.' The headmaster continued in this soothing vein for sometime before he saw Harry start to relax.

'Safe?' Harry whispered.

'Safe.' Albus confirmed, sighing inwardly as Harry's tiny hand snaked out from the covers and tightened almost convulsively on his own.

'Oh god.' Harry whispered as tears began steaming down his face.

'Harry, I'm sorry. I won't leave you again.' Dumbledore said pleadingly, desperately trying to figure out how to halt the flood of tears.

Harry shook his head. 'No, not your fault. I know you have things to do.' Harry whispered, the tears not stopping even if there was no other sign the boy was actually crying.

'No, my dear boy. My first wish is to be with you. I will only leave if you tell me too.' Albus made sure he worded the phrase as a wish and not a duty.

Harry's eyes screwed up tight. 'Please Professor, I need to be alone, please.' He said softly.

Albus' heart sank and he slowly stood up. 'I'll be just downstairs if you need me Harry.' Harry nodded but didn't open his eyes. Albus sighed softly, giving the boy's hand a final squeeze and moving from the room, making sure to leave the door open. He barely reached the top step before he heard Harry break down in sobs, the cries tearing at the venerable old wizard's heart and it was several minutes before Albus could collect himself and continue down to his office.

* * *

><p>Harry had stopped crying over an hour before and fallen into another restless sleep. Albus checked on him several times before finally sitting down behind his desk and burying his head in his hands.<p>

A soft knock sounded at his door. 'Albus.' Minerva's head poked around the door. 'May we come in?'

Albus raised his head, showing the weary expression that had graced his features since Harry's disappearance so many months before. 'Come in.' he gestured to the chairs around his desk as the staff all filed in one after the other. 'I owe all of you an explanation for my rather abrupt departure.'

'What happened, Albus?' Pomona Sprout asked sitting down beside the head of Ravenclaw and looking expectantly at the headmaster.

'Yes, in all my years I have never seen you leave the hall during the welcoming feast.' Flitwick squeaked.

Albus glanced at both Severus and Minerva with tired eyes and sighed.

'So it's true then.' The potions master murmured before Albus could speak. 'Poppy was telling the truth.'

'Severus, I had to. The boy has no one.'

'But really, Albus; a Wizard's Oath?' Snape hissed incredulously.

'What is going on?' Amelia Vector said crossly, several others voicing the same question.

Albus sighed again and held up his hands for silence. 'I will explain to you all.' He said placating, waiting as they all took seats. 'Just over a week ago we found out where Voldemort was holding Harry Potter.'

'He's alive?'

Albus nodded. 'Only Severus, Minerva, Poppy and myself knew. It wasn't that I didn't trust any of you, but what you didn't know you couldn't tell, even under Veritaserum.'

'Is he still there?' Flitwick asked.

Albus shook his head. 'No we rescued him several days later. He has spent that time in the hospital wing and then this afternoon he was moved to a room within mine.'

'Yours? Why yours?' Rolanda Hooch finally spoke up. 'Surely he would be better off with his friends?'

'Yes, Albus, why don't you tell them that?' Poppy said snidely.

Albus turned cold blue eyes on the medi-witch. 'Why don't you tell them the condition Harry was in when he arrived?' He commanded, surprising most in the room who had never heard him speak to the medi-witch like that before.

Poppy sighed knowing she had no choice. 'Fine' She huffed. 'He was heavily malnourished. He had eight broken ribs, his left ankle had been broken twice, both shoulders were dislocated, the bones in both hands had been shattered and healed and shattered again several times. He also had burns, cuts and gashes carved into practically every piece of available skin and bruising over ninety percent of his body.'

'Mother of Merlin.' Pomona said in a horrified whisper.

'Tell them the rest.' Albus kept his piercing blue eyes fixed on the medi-witch.

'Albus, I don't think that's.'

'Tell them.' The headmaster growled, again startling most in the room who had never heard the man speak in such a tone to anyone.

Poppy glared back at him. 'He had been raped, probably hundreds and hundreds of times. Used and abused so badly that you couldn't even touch him unless he was stupefied. Even under a strong Dreamless Sleep potion he would flinch violently away if you touched him.'

'That still doesn't explain why he is in your rooms, Albus.' Rolanda Hooch piped up.

'He's in my rooms, Rolanda, because I gave him my word. I gave him a Wizard's Oath, on my magic no less, that I would protect him and cherish him. That from now on he was the pivotal point in my life.' Albus said quietly.

Not a sound penetrated the stunned silence that permeated the room and it took several moments before anyone spoke.

'Are you out of your mind?' Minerva cried.

Dumbledore's eyes narrowed. 'I have never been saner.'

'But the students, Albus; what of the school?'

'The school will be fine. If the Board of Governors decides to remove me then I will go, but Harry will come with me. I am his guardian now.'

'But Albus, you can't give up the school. It is your life.'

'It is part of my life.' Albus agreed. 'But for the first time, it is not all. I have put what's best for Harry behind what was best for the wizarding world from the moment his parents died and this is the end result. I will not fail him again. If any of you do not agree then you are welcome to contact the Board. I'm sure Lucius Malfoy will be very happy to hear from you.'

Suddenly a blood curdling scream tore through the air and Albus shot out of his chair with a speed that belied his age. He murmured the password and walked swiftly up the stairs.

The teachers shifted nervously as Harry's screams continued to filter through the air. They heard Albus talking softly as they abated and the stone staircase also carried the sound of Harry's panicked breathing.

'Severus.' Albus called out gently. The potions master rolled his eyes and stepped through the portrait.

Several minutes later he returned and they waited another quarter of an hour before the headmaster finally came down.

'Is he alright?' Minerva asked.

Albus shook his head and sat down. 'Not really. I managed to get him to swallow some dreamless sleep but only after having Dobby take some first. I've left them both asleep, but how long it lasts for in Harry's case is anyone's guess.'

'Will he come back from this?' Flitwick squeaked.

Albus glanced at the closed portrait. 'I don't know, Filius. I just don't know.'

* * *

><p>Ron and Hermione very quietly let the sixth and seventh year Gryffindors know that Harry had been found but not exactly what had happened. The others could guess that he was in a bad way but they were still happy that he was safe and it was a cheerful group that let the great hall as the meal finished and the teachers all left.<p>

Unfortunately their mood didn't last long as a drawling voice halted their progress outside the oak doors.

'Well, if it isn't the Weasel and the Mudblood. Happy to have your little whore back? I'm sure he was very happy to see you.' Malfoy smiled maliciously at the silently fuming Ron.

'We don't know what you're talking about, Malfoy.' Hermione said firmly before Ron could answer.

'Why Potty, of course. He was such a good little whore while the Dark Lord had him.'

'SHUT UP.' Ron bellowed, moving to punch the Slytherin but finding his hands pinned to his sides by Neville and Dean.

Malfoy smirked nastily. 'You should try him. He was really good. Nice and tight.' Hermione stepped forward and slapped him so soundly his cheek instantly blossomed into red.

'Don't you ever say that again.' She hissed.

Malfoy held his hand to his rapidly bruising cheek and leant forwards, lowering his voice. 'Keep a good eye on your friend, Mudblood, my father got quite attached to him and he wants him back. And what a Malfoy wants, he gets.'

Hermione's eyes widened and she paled.

'That's right, Mudblood. He got in once, he can get in again. Better keep little Potty close by. Not that that worked out that well last time.' He added cruelly before spinning on his heel and stalking towards the dungeons, his two hulking shadows following faithfully.

'Hermione?' Ron whispered, shrugging off the holding arms and pulling her close. Malfoy's voice had been so quiet he hadn't heard what the Slytherin said.

'I need to see Harry.' She whispered, her eyes fearful. Ron nodded, turning slightly.

'Go on ahead, guys. We'll see you in the common room.' He told the others before keeping his arm around Hermione and pulling her gently towards the headmaster's office.

'Do you think Malfoy was telling the truth about Harry?' Neville asked quietly.

'God, I hope not.' Dean admitted anxiously.

* * *

><p>The gargoyle wouldn't move for them no matter how many sweets they named so they just waited, knowing a teacher would find them and let them in.<p>

Almost an hour later the gargoyle jumped aside startling them and the entire staff filed out of the office. From the looks on their faces the two Gryffindors guessed that they had just been informed about Harry.

'Mr Weasley, Miss Granger, I suppose there is a good reason for you to be out of your tower after curfew.' The potions master sneered.

Hermione swallowed and dropped her eyes but Ron stared back defiantly at him. 'Yes sir, we need to see Professor Dumbledore.'

'Surely it can wait until morning.'

'It's quite important, Sir.' Ron added.

'I find it hard to believe that it could be dire enough that it can't wait.'

Hermione looked up, her eyes filled with tears. 'Please Professor Snape.' She pleaded softly.

There was something in the girl's eyes that worried the potions master and reluctantly he nodded and reversed his direction.

Albus looked up as the three entered. 'Severus, what is it?'

'Headmaster, these two needed to see you urgently.' He said, his tone decidedly sarcastic.

'Please Professor Dumbledore, can I see Harry?' Hermione whispered.

Snape glared at her. 'You said you needed to see Professor Dumbledore.' He growled.

Hermione ignored him, two tears falling down her cheeks. 'Please sir, I don't need to speak with him, I just want to see he's okay. Please.'

'What happened, Miss Granger?' Dumbledore asked kindly.

Hermione shook her head and the two adults could see she had started trembling. 'Please sir, can I just see that he's okay?'

Dumbledore's eyes narrowed slightly and he nodded, getting up from behind the desk and opening the portrait. Hermione flashed him a wane smile and ducked quietly up the staircase.

'What happened to upset her so, Mr Weasley?' Albus asked, holding the portrait open.

Ron's face returned to its previous shade of red. 'Malfoy.' He ground out, tossing a glare at the potions master.

Severus and Albus exchanged glances, an action that didn't go unnoticed.

'That's right Professor.' Ron snarled. 'Your little golden boy Malfoy ran off at the mouth as usual. Said that he had raped Harry. That he was really good and I should try it.' Ron practically had steam coming from his ears. 'He said something else to Hermione but I didn't hear it. All I know is that all the blood drained from her face and she looked as if she could barely stand.'

'He said that his father wanted Harry back and that he was coming for him.' Hermione said from the bottom step.

'Is he okay?' Ron asked. Hermione nodded and crossed the room into his arms, burying her head in Ron's chest.

Suddenly an alarm sounded in the office, the ringing piercing through the air.

'Oh dear.'


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer – Isn't mine.

**Chapter 4 - Choose**

'What the hell does, oh dear mean?' Ron said harshly.

'It means Mr Weasley, that you can no longer get back to Gryffindor Tower and will have to remain here for the moment.' Snape growled.

'Why?'

'Because the common rooms are now sealed.'

'Why?'

Snape let out an exasperated breath. 'For Merlin's sake boy, use your head. What does an alarm usually mean?'

'Now Severus, calm down.' He said evenly. 'Mr Weasley, there seems to be someone wanting to get into the castle who shouldn't be. The new wards have been triggered. I trust you two can remain here quietly while we sort this out.'

The two Gryffindors paled, both guessing, probably quite correctly, just who was trying to get in. Albus took their silence as acquiescence and moved past them to the portrait, murmuring softly before disappearing up the stairs.

He came back several moments later, closing the portrait firmly and tapping it once before it disappeared to leave the stone wall in place.

He turned to see Hermione and Ron watching him in surprise. 'I won't let anyone take him again.' He said firmly before walking swiftly from the room.

Snape followed him and the two seventeen year olds sat down to wait.

* * *

><p>'Severus, you shouldn't be coming.' Albus said quietly as they strode down towards the Entrance hall where they knew the rest of the staff would be waiting.<p>

'I will be there with the rest of the staff as would be required.'

'But if it is Tom or Lucius, then you are placing yourself in a position of exposure.' Albus insisted.

'I would be more exposed if I didn't go. They would expect me there.'

The headmaster sighed knowing the potions master was correct. As first thought, the rest of the staff were standing nervously in front of a group of about forty Aurors and a wickedly smirking Lucius Malfoy.

'Ah Lucius, to what do we owe this dubious pleasure?' Albus said coldly. 'And at such an hour, surely the Ministry has better things it could be doing.'

If anything Malfoy's smirk got even wider. 'Why Dumbledore, this is very important. We believe you to be harboring the criminal Sirius Black.'

'What?' Minerva couldn't help but exclaim.

'Sirius Black. We have received several reports that he is here in the castle and we have come to search it.'

Albus eyes narrowed. 'Sirius Black is dead Lucius. He died over a year ago. You should know that, you were there after all.'

Malfoy's face morphed into a sneer. 'I have no idea what you are talking about, Dumbledore.' He said stiffly.

'Department of Mysteries, Lucius. Surely you haven't forgotten.' The headmaster admonished.

'I was cleared of all charges relating to that.' Malfoy snarled. 'Now get out of the way. We have paperwork from the Minister requesting this search.'

'Albus they can't be serious.' Minerva cried, her dismay echoed by many of the other staff.

Dumbledore sighed. 'Fine,' Malfoy smirked. 'The Aurors have permission to search the castle. You, however, as neither a member of staff, nor of the Ministry Department of Magical Law Enforcement, have no such right and will wait here until they return.' The smirk faltered as Dumbledore dismissed the Aurors who followed the various members of staff to different parts of the castle leaving the headmaster and his deputy facing Malfoy, an almost unseen Snape standing back in the shadows.

Albus held the blond aristocrat's glare just as coldly. 'You won't get him back.' He said darkly.

Malfoy's mask was impenetrable. 'Back? What in Merlin's name are you talking about?' he sniffed disdainfully taking several steps back. 'Have you been drinking from your pensieve, old man?'

A soft snort was heard from the corner, reminding the three that their witness was still there. 'Lucius, you may was well leave now. You know Black is dead.' Severus said softly as he crossed silently to stand beside the blond man.

'I haven't got what I came for. I won't be leaving without them tonight.'

'You won't find him, Lucius.' Albus actually growled at the younger man leaving no one in any doubt that they were still not referring to Sirius.

'Albus, perhaps you should check on the Aurors.' Snape said meaningfully. Albus glanced once more at Malfoy, his normally twinkling blue eyes piercing the other man before taking Minerva's arm and walking away.

'Severus.' Malfoy hissed. 'Where is he? I want him back.'

'I wish I could help, Lucius, but Potter is under the direct protection of the headmaster.'

'Direct?'

Snape nodded, his expression plainly showing his feelings on the matter. 'Magical Oath and all, I'm afraid.' He said dryly. 'The boy is secreted away so soundly I imagine even our Lord himself may have trouble getting to him.'

'Do you know where?' Cool grey eyes looked intently at him.

Snape threw up every Occlumency shield he had and shrugged. 'I don't even know if he is still in the castle.' He lied smoothly.

'Damn it.' Malfoy swore, glancing at the doors. 'Tell the Aurors I have returned to the Ministry.' He said curtly before spinning on his heel and stalking to the doors.

'Oh and Lucius,' Severus said lightly while grinning inwardly. 'You might want to take Draco to task regarding his overly large and always open mouth.' Malfoy raised an eyebrow. 'If he's not careful he may find himself in Azkaban before the year is up. Rape is, after all, as much a crime in our world as it in the muggle world.' Malfoy raised the eyebrow further and Snape nodded.

'Idiot.' Malfoy muttered before vanishing out the door.

Snape stood there smirking for several minutes before the Headmaster returned. 'Severus, where is Lucius?' Albus asked quietly.

'He has returned to the Ministry after being told of the futility of his current objective.'

Albus snorted. 'Minerva, could you stay here and make sure all of the Aurors leave.' The elderly Professor nodded and the two men headed back up to the fourth floor.

'Did he say why?' Albus said once they were out of ear shot.

Snape shook his head. 'No, I'm really not sure why he wants him so badly. I get the feeling this raid had nothing to do with the Dark Lord and that Lucius wants the boy for himself.'

'Hmmm.' The Headmaster continued on in silence until they reached the gargoyle which jumped to the side to let them through.

Ron and Hermione had hidden themselves in separate corners of the headmaster's office, their wands drawn.

'It's alright, Miss Granger, Mr Weasley?' Albus said calmly. It was a sign of the times when neither student lowered their wand, instead Ron's raised his slightly higher and barked out a question only a member of the Order would know.

'Where are Order headquarters'?'

'Don't be so ridiculous, Weasley.' the potions master snapped.

'Where are they?' Ron insisted.

Snape looked as if he was about to retort once more but Albus laid a hand on his arm. 'Grimmauld Place, Mr Weasley and ten points to Gryffindor for your forethought.' he added with a twinkle. Snape merely glared at them as the two teenagers stepped out from their hiding places and returned to the middle of the room.

The headmaster called for some tea, pouring each of them a cup. Snape sniffed disdainfully at it, continuing to stand by the fire, his arms crossed, his expression masked.

'As soon as the Aurors have left the common rooms will unseal themselves and you two may return to bed.' Albus told them.

'Was that who it was?' Hermione asked softly. 'The Aurors.'

Snape opened his mouth but Albus shook his head imperceptibly. 'Yes. That's all. Now, if you will excuse me.' The headmaster crossed to the stone wall and placed both his hand and the tip of his wand against it and murmured softly. With a slight grinding noise the wall disappeared to show the portrait. Another soft and unintelligible murmur and the portrait opened, allowing the headmaster through before snapping shut with a soft click.

* * *

><p>Albus quickly climbed the stairs and knocked softly before walking through the open door. He didn't want the boy to think he had no privacy. Harry was still asleep but Dobby had awakened and was standing at Harry's bedside as if to guard the boy.<p>

'Did he wake, Dobby?' Albus asked softly. The house elf shook his head.

'No, Professor Dumbledore, Sir. Dobby has been watching Harry Potter closely and Harry Potter did not wake, Sir.'

'Very good, Dobby.' Albus looked calculatingly at the little creature. 'Dobby, do you know what happened to Harry?' he asked slowly as he sat down gently on the end of the bed.

Dobby nodded his eyes wide. 'Dobby knows Harry Potter was badly hurt, Professor Dumbledore, Sir. Dobby knows the bad men did terrible things to Harry Potter.'

Albus nodded sadly, reaching out to gently push the hair back off Harry's face. 'That's right, Dobby, but I think you can help Harry. Would you like to do that, Dobby?'

Dobby's eyes widened. 'Dobby would be most honoured, Sir.' he squeaked, bowing so low his nose almost touched the ground.

'I need you to stay with Harry when I'm not here. Eat with him, talk with him. Try and get him used to having someone around him that won't hurt him. I'm trying but I feel he doesn't want to cry or seem weak in front of me. If Harry lets you I want you to start touching him. Gently mind you, a hand on his shoulder, on his arm that sort of thing.' Dobby's eyes widened even more.

'But Dobby couldn't touch a wizard, Sir. It would be most improper.' he insisted.

Albus sighed. 'Dobby, watch this.' Albus reached over and took Harry's hand in his and while the flinch wasn't as big as it was before, it was still noticeable. 'You see Dobby, Harry is used to hands that only hurt him. We need to show him they can be gentle too. Will you help me?'

The house elf glanced back at Harry once more before pulling his ears down over his eyes and nodding. 'Dobby will help, Professor Dumbledore, Sir.' he said softly. Albus smiled brightly.

'Thank you, Dobby.' Albus looked back at Harry, gently patting the hand he held as he watched the frown take over Harry's face, even in sleep. The headmaster seemed lost in thought as he continued stroking Harry's hand. 'We'll get you there, dear boy.' he whispered softly. 'I promise we'll get you there.'

CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

Some hours later, after the signal chimed that the Aurors had left and Albus sent Dobby down to escort the two Gryffindors back to the tower, Harry stirred and Albus gently continued his ministrations as Harry woke. The boy started slightly and moved to pull away and Albus let him.

'Albus?' Harry asked hesitantly as he huddled up near the bed head.

'Good morning dear boy.' Albus said softly, pleased that while Harry had retreated he hadn't thrown himself off the bed in a blind panic like the last time.

'What time is it?' The tentative voice spoke out once more.

'It is still very early, my child.' Albus said gesturing to the still darkened walls. They had a spell to keep some light in the room at all times but it was still easy to discern as to whether it was day or night.

Harry glanced around the room before his eyes darted back to the headmaster. 'What happened?'

Albus eyes dimmed and he sighed, his resolve not to lie to the boy still as strong as ever even if part of him would dearly love to. 'A group of Aurors arrived late last night ostensibly to look for Sirius.'

'What?' Harry breathed.

'It was a ruse. They were accompanied by Lucius Malfoy.'

Harry's face paled, his eyes glazed over and he shuddered.

'Harry, Harry, it's alright. He's gone. He knows you're with me now. He won't be back.' Albus assured him.

Harry seemed to shake his head and his eyes regained a long forgotten glint. 'He will be back.'

'How can you know that, Harry?'

Harry looked up, green eyes meeting blue. 'He was going to take me away from Tom and hide me.' he whispered.

Dumbledore was speechless, his mouth opening and closing several times. 'Did he...' Albus trailed off. 'Did he hurt you Harry?'

Harry shrugged sullenly. 'Doesn't everyone.' he mumbled.

Albus resisted the urge to shake the boy. 'Harry, this is very important. I need to know what you meant. Was he going to take you away from Riddle so that you were safe, or so that he could have you all to himself?'

Harry looked at him quizzically before bursting into laughter. Unfortunately it was a kind of unbalanced maniacal laughter that set Dumbledore's spine tingling, and not in a nice way. 'Harry, calm down.' Albus said firmly but gently.

'S...sorry.' Harry stammered, wiping tears from his face. 'It's just the idea of Malfoy doing something just to keep me safe is so far on the side of absurd it's ridiculous.'

Harry's many swings in mood shown in such a short space of time were leaving Albus slightly unnerved. 'I had hoped that if it were the former we may have been able to turn him to spy for us. It would be quite a coup.'

'Just tell him anyway. He will find me eventually; might as well make it worth it.' Harry sighed.

Albus just looked at him; the horrified expression on his face showing exactly how he felt about that. 'No. Absolutely not. Not even for Riddle's downfall. You are not now, nor will you ever again be expendable Harry. I made that mistake before and I will never, ever make it again. You are my child now, Harry and you will be kept safe if I have to kill to keep it that way.' the elderly wizard said vehemently.

Harry, so shocked at the strength of the words, actually moved towards the man and placed a shaking hand on his arm. Albus lifted his own and held it above the boy's not quite touching until after several deep swallows and a number of blinks, Harry locked eyes with the twinkling blue and nodded. With a warm smile the headmaster's gentle hand came down and covered his.

'Well done, dear boy.' Albus whispered. Harry smiled hesitantly and they sat there in companionable silence for over an hour before Harry slowly leaned over until his head was resting on the headmaster's shoulder. 'Thank you.' Harry whispered. Albus just smiled, his eyes twinkling blindingly.

CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

The next morning Snape swept into the great hall and stalked to the head table. The interrupted night's sleep had grated on him and he glared caustically around the room. He noted the sad faces, particularly the seventh years at the Gryffindor table and inwardly smirked. None of these children were ready for the real world. None could cope with what the Potter brat had been through. It would certainly be interesting to see their reactions when and if the boy ever made it back to class.

He reached for the coffee the house elves left specifically for him and took a bite of his eggs. The headmaster was absent, naturally, as was Draco Malfoy, surprisingly. Snape finished his breakfast and was about to go looking for the boy when he sauntered in and sat down. Snape stood just as the morning post flew in. He noted Lucius' black raven and slowed his steps. Malfoy took the missive slightly nervously if Snape was any judge, and opened it.

Snape watched the blood drain from the boy's face before stalking down the table. 'Mr Malfoy.' he said almost silently. Malfoy turned, obviously startled as his mind was on his father's words. 'May I?' Snape gestured to the letter. Malfoy reluctantly handed it over.

_Are you mad?_ It began, without even addressing the boy. _How dare you even think of talking of such things. Do you even realise the position you have put me in. Our Lord will not be pleased with your idiocy and I will have to pay for your mistakes. Be advised that any such payments will be passed on tenfold during your Christmas break. I do hope you are prepared._

Snape grinned inwardly even as his face remained impassive. He handed the letter back and leant down so that he could speak directly into the boy's ear without being overheard. 'As your godfather I wish to advise you that if I ever hear of you doing something so degrading again I will use you entrails in my first year classes. Do you understand?' he hissed ominously. 'And I'm not talking about the little scene outside the hall last night.' he added.

Malfoy's eyes widened and he flushed, twisting slightly so he could see the potions master. 'But...'

The hard black eyes stopped him from speaking further. 'You do not need to sink to the level of an animal Draco. It is most unseemly for a gentleman of your stature.' He couldn't resist the parting shot at the Boy-Who-Lived's expense. 'Besides you don't even know where Potter's been. You could have caught anything.'

Malfoy smirked at that and Snape thought he would leave it there but once again the boy proved just how many brain cells he damaged by wearing so much hair gel. 'Oh no.' he said softly. 'He hadn't been anywhere. Potter was a virgin when father took him.' The look of pride on the young man's face turned Snape's stomach and without a word he stood, grabbing the boy by the scruff of his neck, yanking him out of his seat and dragging him from the hall, much to the shock of the Slytherins and the amusement of the other houses.

* * *

><p>Draco himself was too stunned to even respond as Snape found the first empty classroom and threw him in before closing and locking the door behind him. Once the silencing charm was cast he spun to face the teenager, his face twisted in anger as he stalked closer.<p>

'Did Potter have a wand when you raped him, Draco?' he asked darkly.

Malfoy shook his head. 'No. Of course not. He was tied up.' Still unsure of where Snape's anger was coming from.

'And how did you feel, Draco. Did you feel powerful? Did you feel strong?' Snape hissed dangerously.

'Yes.' Draco said nervously. 'Potter was crying, begging for me to stop.'

'So having a boy tied up so that he can't even defend himself while you abuse him so badly it makes him beg, someone who hasn't begged for anything in his life I might add, makes you feel powerful.'

'Well, yes.'

Snape hung his head, reaching one hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose. 'Come with me.' he said curtly, disabling the locking spells and sweeping from the room knowing young Malfoy would follow him without question. He swept through the halls, mindless of the many students hurrying to the first day of classes, Malfoy following curiously, if not a little uneasily, behind.

They reached the gargoyle to the headmaster's office and the young Slytherin quickly stepped back and made to dart away but strong fingers closed over his shoulder and black eyes pierced him in place. 'Do not even consider it, Mr Malfoy.' Snape growled before propelling him up the stairway ahead of him.

'Severus?' Albus asked curiously. The headmaster was at his desk and smiled cheerfully at him, however the eyes dimmed catching sight of the teenager beside him. 'Mr Malfoy, to what to we owe this unexpected but unwelcome pleasure.' The smile was still in place but the eyes were distinctly cold. It unnerved Snape to see the normally jovial headmaster looking so coldly at one of his students. Malfoy especially looked shocked that the headmaster had addressed him so.

'Draco, sit.' Snape instructed, pointing to a chair by the headmaster's desk. Malfoy sat reluctantly but finally sat back, slouching as if he hadn't a care in the world. It was a masterful performance in Snape's experienced opinion.

He still surreptitiously cast a locking spell on the door however as he moved across the room to speak in hushed tones. He related the events at breakfast and afterwards to Albus before moving to the reason he was here.

'No. Absolutely not.' Albus said firmly.

'Albus, please. I know Draco isn't truly his father. He needs to see what he's done. It may be the only way to save him. The conditioning is already so strong. I don't want to lose my godson.' Snape pleaded.

'Do you have any idea what it could do to Harry?' Albus whispered urgently.

Snape sighed. 'I know, but I can think of no other way. If you had heard what he said...' he trailed off. 'Can you please ask Potter? Even if he can just tell how he felt, it may help.'

Albus looked between the potions master and his student. 'I don't even believe that Harry is ready to talk of such things.'

'Couldn't you at least ask? If we can stop even one from turning isn't it worth it?'

Albus shook his head. 'Not at Harry's expense it isn't.' Snape glanced at his godson who was idly inspecting his fingernails as if he didn't have a care in the world but Snape knew that, like a true Slytherin he was trying to listen to every word of the conversation, however judging by the slight tensing of his jaw, he wasn't very successful.

'Please Albus. He's all I have left.' Snape was actually reduced to begging.

The headmaster's eyes narrowed. 'You ask him.' he said softly.

Snape's brows shot skywards. 'What?'

'You ask him.' Albus repeated. 'If he agrees then so do I.'

'You're kidding.'

Albus shook his head firmly. 'No, I'm not.'

Snape stared at the headmaster open mouthed. Albus just continued to stare calmly back at him. Snape glanced at his godson before turning back and swallowing. 'Alright.' he nodded.

Albus' expression darkened, obviously he hadn't expected the potions master to agree. Slowly he raised his wand. 'Stupefy.'

Draco slumped in his chair.

'What did you do that for?'

Albus' blue eyes looked back to him. 'Because if this doesn't work he will have to be Obliviated and I don't want Tom to have any idea that Harry is even in the castle. If Harry agrees, we will levitate him up there before waking him and then an interschool Portkey can have him arrive back in the entrance hall.'

Snape nodded slowly. 'Makes sense.'

'Thank you. Now, don't you think you should do something about your robes before you talk to Harry?'

With a groan Snape waved his wand, changing the black to a royal blue before gesturing to the headmaster to open the portrait.

* * *

><p>Harry gave Dumbledore a small smile as he walked in but it faded as he took in the potions master standing just inside the door. Albus could see the beginnings of a panic attack as Harry's eyes darted around looking for a way to escape now that the door was blocked and quickly took Snape's arm, pulling him further into the room so that Harry was between them and the door.<p>

He left the Slytherin by the fireplace and walked hesitantly over to the bed. 'Harry?' he said softly. Harry's eyes darted from the door to the blue one's watching him intently.

'Albus.' he whispered huskily after swallowing heavily. Albus knelt by the side of the bed and held out his hand which Harry grabbed like a lifeline.

'It's alright, dear boy.' he said soothingly, rubbing the back of the boy's hand with his thumb. 'Severus just wants to ask you something.'

Harry's green eyes flicked to the potions master and he nodded hesitantly.

'Mr Potter,' Snape said softly. 'I have a favour to ask you. I am trying to save my godson from turning to the Dark Lord but I believe I may be too late. He knows what happened to you but I need for him to see you, speak with you. I need for him to understand what he did was wrong and how it affected you.'

At the mention of doing wrong Harry's eyes widened comically and he paled. 'Who?' he whispered.

Snape looked to Albus but no help arrived from that quarter and he knew he was on his own. 'Draco.'

Harry's right arm that was around his waist tightened convulsively and he seemed to almost shrink in on himself.

'Malfoy...here...' he said fearfully. Albus continued rubbing Harry's hand gently, making sure the boy knew he was still there.

'I will completely understand if you say no, Mr Potter, but you are my last hope and I could never forgive myself if I didn't try.' Snape went on.

Harry looked between the potions master and his guardian. 'You don't think this is a good idea.' he whispered.

Albus gave him a wan smile. 'No. I don't. But the decision is yours to make, Harry.'

Harry closed his eyes, seeing nothing but the pleading black eyes of the potions master. He knew it had been Snape who had found out where he was. Snape who had arranged to get Albus into Riddle's Manor and Snape that had taken the punishment for allowing Harry's escape to happen and Harry knew he owed the man to at least try.

'Alright.' he said softly, without opening his eyes. Albus' hand shook slightly but he could feel the wave of gratitude from the other man wash over him.

'Thank you.' Snape whispered. Harry just nodded and hung his head as Snape moved swiftly from the room.

'You're a brave boy, Harry.' Albus said softly. Harry didn't speak and Albus gently removed his hand, telling the boy they would be back in a minute and stood before quietly leaving the room. There were a few things he had to say to young Mr Malfoy before he was allowed anywhere the broken child.

CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

He met Severus just outside the portrait; the younger man knowing the headmaster would want to talk to Draco before they took him upstairs.

'Enervate.'

Malfoy blinked several times before standing; righteous indignation flowing off him in waves. 'How dare you. My father will hear about this and your career as Headmaster of this school will be over.'

'Mr Malfoy, shut up.' Albus growled, startling the young man. 'Now you will listen and listen well. Against my better judgment I am allowing this because Severus feels it is the only way, but you must know that you will be taken by Portkey and leave by Portkey and if you so much as whisper a mention of your father while you are there I _will_ flay you alive and give what's left to the Acromantula in the forest. Do you understand?'

There was something in both the tone and the headmaster's expression that would only allow Malfoy to nod dumbly, all of his previous bravado suddenly gone.

'Stupefy.' Albus said again. 'Mobilius corpus.' Albus gave his potions master a look that clearly said he didn't think was a good idea but obligingly floated the prone Slytherin through the open portrait and upstairs. The three stopped outside the room, Albus taking a quill from his pocket and ending the levitating spell and making sure Severus had the boy's weight he made a Portkey that would just go to the entrance hall and handed it over.

'Keep him by the fireplace.' He said curtly before walking quietly into the room and moving over to the chair beside the bed. Harry was sitting quietly on the edge and didn't look up as Albus sat down. The headmaster left his hand on the covers beside the boy but Harry didn't pick it up, instead wrapping both arms tightly around his still emancipated frame and shivering slightly as Snape carried Malfoy in and sat him in a chair by the fire before waking him.

The Slytherin blinked and glanced around him before catching sight of the figure sitting on the edge of the bed. His eyes swept from head to toe and back up again but it wasn't until the figure raised his head and Malfoy saw the dull green eyes they he was sure.

'Potter?'

Harry flinched, violently. 'Malfoy.' He rasped, lowering his head once more.

Draco didn't know whether to sneer or smile. 'Potter.' He drawled with a grin.

'What are you doing, Malfoy?' Harry whispered, eventually lifting his head.

'Excuse me?' Surprise was evident in the Slytherin's voice.

'What are you doing, Malfoy?' Harry repeated softly. 'Is this what you want?'

'What are you talking about?'

'Is this what you want for the rest of your life?' Harry asked, startling all in the room. 'Do you want to follow a half blood maniac, bow and grovel at his feet, in the dirt, kissing the hem of his robes and hoping to Merlin the punishments he gives out that day go to someone else, just for the privilege of breaking someone like me, torturing and abusing them until there is nothing but a shell. Is that really what you want?'

Malfoy had no response to the quietly spoken tirade and Harry went on.

'Was it fun Malfoy? Doing what you did. Did it make you any more powerful than you were? Did it give you power you didn't have?'

Still silence, but both Snape and Dumbledore could see the seventeen year old's mind beginning to tick over.

Harry 's eyes closed as if he were in pain and he took several deep breaths before opening them again. 'It didn't, did it? It gave you thrills because you were finally getting one over on your rival, but it didn't give you anything worthwhile. And that's all Riddle will ever give you. Cheap thrills at the expense of others, because any extra power or knowledge he will keep for himself.' Harry stood and while keeping as far away as possible from the others, walked to the window, looking out over the beach scene that was currently in it.

Albus could see him trembling quite considerably but the boy still plucked up some courage from who knew where and turned his back on the Slytherin by the fire and continued staring out the window.

'Riddle didn't break me, Malfoy. You didn't break me. I will get better and I _**will**_ kill that bastard. If you choose to continue following him, you must know that I will kill you too.' Harry turned then and Malfoy and Snape gasped at the fire burning in the green eyes. It was a fire that they hadn't seen in a long time and together with the tone of the words both knew the boy would fulfill the promise.

'Choose, Malfoy. Choose between your half-bloods. You can have the Dark Lord, who will use you until you are nothing more than a groveling sycophant, or you can have me, someone who would protect those who are loyal with his very life. The choice is yours Malfoy but choose carefully, it may well be the last decision you ever make.' Harry turned back to the window and Albus, realising the boy had finished, stupefied the Slytherin gesturing for Snape to take him out.

He waited until they were gone before moving slowly to stand beside the boy. 'Harry.' he said gently. Harry turned and Albus saw the tears spilling down his cheeks. 'That was a wonderful thing you just did. I'm so proud of you, Harry.'

Harry took several deep breaths and reached out a tentative hand to grasp the front of Dumbledore's robes. 'Don't move.' he whispered as he stepped forward and leant his head against the firm chest. Albus struggled not to bring his hands up and hug the boy to him as Harry continued to lean against him, finally snaking one arm around the headmaster's waist and hanging on for dear life.

'You're safe, dear boy. You're safe here with me.'


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer – Isn't mine

**Chapter 5 – Faith and Strength**

Snape enervated the Slytherin allowing him barely a moment's peace before dragging him swiftly through the dungeons corridors and propelling him into his office and slamming the door behind them. He threw up several locking and silencing charms before stalking over to the desk and throwing himself gracefully into his chair.

'Speak now.' He commanded quietly.

Malfoy shrugged. 'So, he's alive. What the hell does that have to do with me? His little speech was nice. Very brave I'm sure, but it doesn't change anything.'

Snape pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a hiss of frustration. He glared at his godson who sat slouched in the chair, idly fiddling with the hem on his robes. He glanced up at the portrait above the shelves and sighed. 'So you still believe what you did was right.' He stated ominously.

Malfoy barely gave him a glance but he did hesitate before replying. 'Yes.'

Snape cast an obscuring charm over the figure in the painting and stood, moving to loom over the boy. 'Stand up, Draco.' He said harshly. Malfoy rolled his eyes but stood obligingly and Snape immediately moved behind him, pinning his hands behind his back and bending over to whisper in the Slytherin's ear.

'How does it feel, Draco?' He hissed dangerously.

Draco snorted. 'What are you doing, Severus.' He laughed.

Snape growled, lifting the boy's elbows until he knew it was hurting. 'Do you think this is a game Draco?' he went on, leaning around the boy, grasping his chin and yanking his head until he could kiss him roughly.

Draco whimpered as Snape's hold in his arms got tighter. A whispered word bound the boy's arms and Snape pushed him towards the floor, the potions master towering over him, a malicious sneer on his face the Malfoy had never seen directed at him.

'How do you feel now, Draco?' Snape snarled, bending down and placing his hand around the boy's throat. He kissed him roughly once again, biting his bottom lip and fisting his hands in his godson's hair. He looked in the terrified grey eyes and his stomach turned but he knew he couldn't stop now.

Draco whimpered again as Snape slowly applied pressure with his hand. 'Do you think this makes me feel powerful Draco, Do you think this makes me feel good?'

'Stop please.' Malfoy gasped. Snape saw the boy's pupils dilate in fear and let him go, throwing him down on the floor and standing up.

He waved his wand, releasing the boy's hands and allowing him to grab at his throat as he gasped for breath. Another wave removed any sign of what had occurred.

Snape glanced down at his godson. 'Isn't much fun on the receiving end, is it?' he said quietly. Malfoy looked up at him, tears streaming down his cheeks. 'That is only a minute amount of what Potter had to go through over the last four months. Could you have lasted as he did, Draco, or would you have broken? Could you have sat still, jaw clenched, not uttering a sound as they smashed the bones in your hand over and over again? Could you have stood for hours, arms chained above your head as they carved things into your body with daggers soaked in pain inducing potions? Could you have knelt hour after hour without so much as a whimper as you were force fed those same potions and they burned their way through your body? Could you have even moved after more than twenty men raped you, one after another, every day for more than four months? And could you have even have stood the mere thought of having one of your attackers in the same room, let alone their actual presence, as you as you tried to save their life.' Snape was snarling by the time he finished.

'Stop.' Malfoy cried.

'Could you, Draco?' Snape yelled.

'I'm sorry.' Malfoy whispered. 'I'm sorry.'

'I'm not the one you should be apologising to.' The older man snapped.

Malfoy hung his head. 'I know.'

The postions master sighed heavily. 'Look at me, Draco.' He said, gently grasping the boy's arm and helping him to stand. Lost grey eyes looked up and found his. 'Potter is right. You have to choose. The war is here and there will be only one winner.'

'Potter meant what he said, didn't he?' Malfoy whispered.

Snape nodded, lifting a hand to gently wipe the tears off his godson's face. 'Yes. He will go through you if he has to Draco if you decide to stand against him, you can be assured of that. And he will defeat the Dark Lord, of that I have no doubt. Now more than ever.'

Malfoy looked at him quizzically. 'But I thought you wanted our Lord to win. You're a death eater.'

Snape shook his head. 'I'm entrusting you with a secret, Draco; one that could cost me my life should you choose to reveal it.'

'I wouldn't Severus.' Malfoy said firmly.

'I work for the light and I know it will defeat the darkness because I have seen just how strong Potter can be. You saw that yourself this morning.'

Malfoy stared at his godfather. 'You're a spy.' He breathed incredulously.

Snape nodded. 'I have been for quite some time.'

'But you're a pureblood. You should agree with what the Dark Lord says.'

'And I might do if he wasn't such a hypocrite.'

'Hypocrite?'

'Didn't you listen to Potter?' Snape arched an elegant eyebrow.

Malfoy's eyes became distant as he cast his mind back over the conversation. 'Choose between your half-bloods.' He whispered.

Snape gave him a wry grimace. 'That's right, Draco. Tom Riddle, the man who espouses most adamantly about the purity of magical blood is nothing but a half blood with a muggle for a father. He may be powerful but that doesn't make him any less of a hypocrite. Besides, I do not agree with some of his methods as you now know.'

'I…I…'

'Did you think I enjoyed what I did to you, Draco? Honestly?'

Malfoy's grey eyes dimmed. 'No.' he said softly.

'Did you think it gave me some power over you? Did it give me more power than I had before? Or some extra knowledge I didn't possess?'

The Slytherin shook his head. 'No. You hated it. I could see.'

Snape sighed pinching the bridge of his nose. 'There is a muggle saying I heard once. It said to be careful of who you tread on on your way up, as you may need them to catch you on the way down. It is good advice, Draco. You may need Potter one day.'

Malfoy sighed and moved to sit down. 'It's too late, he would never forgive me.' He said softly.

'Probably not.' Snape agreed. 'But the blame is not all yours.'

Malfoy hung his head. 'Isn't it?' he muttered.

Snape frowned. 'What are you talking about? You aren't to blame for the actions of your father, Draco? You didn't do this alone.'

Malfoy's expression became pained. 'I…I…' he trailed off.

'Draco, what is it?' Snape's voice was gentle as he knelt in front of his godson and cupped his chin as Malfoy tried to look away. 'You know you can tell me.'

'I let them in.' Malfoy whispered, his eyes squeezed tightly shut as if scared to see his godfather's face.

Snape froze. 'What?'

Malfoy squirmed and finally opened his eyes. 'I let them in. My father, and the others. That night. I placed the ward stone in Gryffindor tower while everyone was a dinner and I opened the statue for them.'

The potions master didn't move; couldn't move. 'You?' he breathed. There was no way he could keep this from Albus.

Malfoy nodded. 'I didn't know. I didn't realise.' He insisted.

'How can you not have known?' Snape bellowed, standing abruptly; horror, frustration and disbelief written all over his face. 'You've grown up with these people; you can't not have known what would happen.'

Malfoy shrank back in his chair and withered under the glare his godfather was bestowing on him. The potions master clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles creaked and when he lowered his voice to an ominous whisper Draco knew his life hung in the balance one way or the other.

'Choose Draco, because I can do nothing more for you. I have done my best to look after you since you were a baby and I hope that means something to you. If not, hopefully you will at least do me the courtesy of a warning before I am summoned.'

'I would never tell.' Malfoy whispered.

Snape pinned him; black eyes piercing to his very soul. 'I'm afraid I will have to take your word on that, Draco. For now, I believe you have quite enough to be going on with. You are excused from classes for the day. I will see you at dinner.'

Malfoy walked towards the door before stopping and turning back. 'Will you still love me? No matter what I choose.' Malfoy asked meekly. Snape leant his elbows on his desk and placed his head in his hands.

'I will always love you, Draco, but if you choose the dark, I can no longer help you. Your father will see to that.'

The potions master's head remained bowed and Malfoy realised it was his cue to leave. 'Thank you, Severus.' He whispered before disabling the wards and leaving the room.

* * *

><p>Malfoy went to the library. He went straight to the small room off the main wing and began looking up the name Tom Riddle. He knew the Dark Lord was older than his father, but not by that much. Ten years at most. It took many hours of painstaking research, not even stopping for lunch until he had, spread out on copious amounts of parchment around him, the details of the life of Lord Voldemort.<p>

And it was true.

His godfather hadn't lied to him; and neither had Potter.

If he hadn't been so shocked, he would have laughed that, in the middle of a war over the supposed purity of magical blood, two of the most powerful wizards of the age were half-bloods. If anything Potter's blood was even purer that Riddle's; both his parents had been magical after all. The irony of it was certainly not lost and he appreciated it.

And his godfather was right. No matter how much Malfoy wished he could deny it. Potter was powerful. Not only magically but in himself. It was one of the reasons Malfoy had baited him constantly over the years. He made you feel alive. It didn't matter how much you hated him. Being near him, feeding off his aura, was exhilarating. He drew people to him like moths to a flame. If he wasn't so inherently good he would certainly be the next Dark Lord, no doubt about it. Instead he would most likely end up as Minister for Magic no matter how much he protested.

That single thought made Malfoy stop and think. Slowly a smile began to break over his face. His mind spun with images and thoughts and as they settled into a single coherent plan the smile became decidedly smug. A Malfoy was nothing if not adaptable after all.

Potter would win. He would defeat the Dark Lord and Malfoy would be by his side because afterwards Potter's coat tails would ride him all the way to London. The Gryffindor may shun the limelight but Malfoy knew the wizarding public would want their hero and, as always, their hero would not disappoint. And what was better than manipulating a puppet in a position of power. It was manipulating a puppet in a legal and very influential position of power.

Now, the first thing to do was to get around that muggle loving old coot and talk to Potter again. Maybe a heartfelt letter to Potter and a masterful performance for the old man.

Malfoy grinned and pulled out a blank sheet of parchment and began.

* * *

><p>Harry was still standing by the mock window when Albus returned both at lunchtime and after dinner. The headmaster glanced at Dobby who was standing in the corner nervously wringing his hands and looking sadly between Harry and the two untouched meals sitting on the table. Albus nodded and Dobby disappeared with a soft crack.<p>

'Harry?' Albus said tentatively, stepping further into the room. Harry turned, giving the headmaster a small smile.

'Good evening, Albus.' He whispered. Albus' smile was warm but inside his heart was aching. He hated seeing the young man like this. Harry had this way of standing, or sitting for that matter, that couldn't help but illuminate how skinny his was. Legs locked tight together and arms wrapped tightly around his waist that only served to promote his skeletal condition.

'Harry, I wish you would eat something.' Albus sighed.

'I'm sorry. I just wasn't hungry.'

The headmaster stepped forward and held out his hand, waiting until Harry's was clasped in it before gently tugging the boy over to sit down by the fireplace, Harry's arms immediately returning to his waist.

'What is it, dear boy? Something is troubling you.'

Harry sighed and untucked one hand, running it through his hair in defeat. 'I don't think it worked.' He said quietly.

'Don't think what worked, dear boy?' Albus asked politely.

Harry rolled his eyes and smiled softly. 'You know very well what I'm talking about and don't deny it.'

Albus chuckled. 'That I do.' He agreed. 'But I want to hear you say it.'

The small smile on Harry's face dimmed. 'Do you think I will have to kill him?' he asked softly, startling Dumbledore slightly with the blunt manner in which the question was asked. Harry stood again and moved once more to the window. 'Will we stand on opposite sides of a battlefield? Will he raise his wand against me and will I have to strike him down?'

Albus' heart dropped.

'I don't want to have to kill anyone else.' Harry keened softly before leaning against the wall and sliding to the floor. The little ball he had so painstakingly spent the last week unrolling coming back in full force.

Albus moved quickly but carefully until he was sitting beside the boy, gently reaching out to take his hand and rubbing the back of it soothingly. 'Harry, it will be okay, I promise. We will all be there with you. You won't be alone.'

'No, you won't.' came a gentle voice from a few steps inside the door. Both heads whipped up, neither having heard the stealthy footsteps of the potions master.

'Severus.' Albus said as Harry automatically shifted closer to the headmaster.

'We will be there, Mr Potter.' Snape said again. 'And I will make you this promise right now. If Draco decides to face you, against you, I will kill him myself.' There was something in the potions master's tone that spoke of resolve and Harry, trembling quite violently, stood and walked tentatively towards the other man. Snape could see the boy struggling not to panic and slowly dropped to one knee so he was smaller than the other and placed his wand at his feet.

Harry stopped just before him, his green eyes wide as he licked his lips. 'Thank you, Professor.' he said hoarsely, reaching out a hand.

Snape could see the hand shaking and gently and slowly took it in his own, allowing the boy to pull back whenever he wanted. 'Well done, Mr Potter.' he said evenly. Harry gave him a small smile and took a deep breath before turning and walking swiftly back to the headmaster, although not before Snape saw the tense set of his shoulders and knowing the boy was almost expecting to be struck down. It was a significant show of both strength and trust that left the potions master practically speechless.

Harry's eyes widened as he turned again to see the older man still kneeling on the floor having made no move to pick up his wand. The headmaster beamed at Snape causing the potions master to roll his eyes but all three knew it was in jest. Slowly Snape stood, leaving his wand where it was and pulled a vial of blue Dreamless sleep out of his pocket.

'I thought you might need this.' He said quietly moving further into the room. Harry froze. 'Would you like me to take some first?' Snape offered, knowing the boy had only taken potions from the headmaster and gesturing to hand the vial to the elderly wizard.

Harry glanced between the two before shaking his head. 'That won't be necessary, Sir.' he said; his voice barely more than a whisper before reaching out to take the vial himself. Snape arched a brow as Harry, albeit very reluctantly, plucked the vial out of his hand before quickly moving to sit on the bed, his eyes pinned to the small piece of glass in his hand. Albus could see the boy struggling and sat beside him, gently taking his free hand once more.

'You know there's nothing bad in that potion don't you? Severus would never intentionally hurt you like that.'

Harry nodded and his eyes squeezed tightly shut. 'I know.' he stammered before uncorking the vial and emptying it quickly. It only took several moments before the empty vial fell from his hand and he slumped backwards on the bed. Albus sighed and ignoring the boy's flinch, lifted him and placed him properly under the covers.

He was sitting on the edge, gently stroking the hair off Harry's face when he felt the younger man come and stand beside him.

'You do know that was for your benefit?' he said quietly.

Snape nodded but as Albus couldn't see felt he should answer. 'Yes. I'm not exactly sure why, but yes, I know it was for my benefit.'

'He was displaying his faith in you because you showed your faith in him. You took away a concern that would have burdened him considerably and put his wellbeing above the life of your own godson.' Albus explained softly, smiling as the frown on Harry's face lessened and the boy sighed in his sleep.

'How did you get in?' Albus asked suddenly.

'Fawkes.' Snape explained. 'Bird obviously thought there was something I had to see.'

Albus smiled. 'Quite.'

Snape sighed and sat down in the chair beside the bed, pulling out a parchment envelope with a wax seal on the back that couldn't have been anything other than the Malfoy crest.

'What is that?'

Snape turned it over in his hands. 'An apology, apparently.' he said quietly.

'Dare I ask which one?'

'Draco.' Something in the potion master's tone caused the headmaster to look up.

'What is it, Severus?' he asked calmly.

Snape wondered just how calm the old wizard would be when he spoke of the morning's revelation. He knew he couldn't keep it from the elderly wizard. He just hoped his godson would survive the revelation. 'He let them in.' he said softly. 'Lucius and the others. That night. It was Draco.' Snape hung his head, missing the flash of anger that lit the blue eyes.

'Oh, did he now?' Albus ground out.

Snape winced. 'What are you going to do?' he asked hesitantly.

Albus glanced back at Harry before replying. 'Something that requires quite a considerable amount of forethought, Severus. Quite considerable indeed.'

Snape held the letter out. 'Are you going to let Potter read this?'

Albus took the offered missive. 'Not on his own, and not until I've read it and spoken to Mr Malfoy first.' he said firmly. 'I'll not have Harry bothered with trivialities and false platitudes. The boy is regaining his strength at an amazing rate and until I feel he could handle something such as this I don't feel it would be in Harry's best interest to give it to him. He will never be a normal boy, but hopefully he can come back from this. His will is strong, to be sure.'

Snape made a noise of agreement. 'He certainly is his mother's son, isn't he?'

Dumbledore snorted softly. 'It certainly has taken you a rather substantial amount of time to work that out, Severus.'

Snape glared at the headmaster but there was no strength behind it. Finally he caved. 'Quite right, Headmaster.' he said agreeably unable to help adding. 'But if I hear you telling anyone I will deny it most vehemently.'

Dumbledore chuckled. 'I would expect nothing less, dear boy. Nothing less.'

They exchanged a smile before sitting back in companionable silence and watching their greatest, and only, hope of victory sleep peacefully. Tomorrow would bring many more questions and probably very little in the way of decisive answers, but as Snape saw the older wizard cradling one of the boy's hands in his own and softly carding his fingers through the messy black hair he hoped to Merlin that his godson was being honest about his intentions regarding the Boy-Who-Lived. Watching them together he knew that the headmaster would stop at nothing to protect his charge and woe betide any who caused the boy anymore heartache.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer – Isn't mine.

Chapter 6 - Enough

Malfoy walked back from the library the next evening, swearing colourfully in several different languages. Crabbe and Goyle had left him there saying they were going to the kitchens and then hadn't returned. Malfoy vowed to detach their limbs when he found them.

Now normally walking through the school corridors late a night by himself wouldn't have worried him but the Gryffindors had been extremely quiet that day and a foreboding feeling had been with him since his second class. The look on the Weasel's face at dinner had been telling in itself.

He scanned the corridor in front of him, breathing a sigh of relief that is was empty and moved quickly down it. Four steps later everything went black.

* * *

><p>He heard whispering as he returned to consciousness and sent out his senses to see if he could work out where he was before opening his eyes. It was dark, he could tell that without even looking. There was barely any light, not enough to slide through the thin skin of his eyelids. He felt cold and after further investigation he realised he was almost naked.<p>

It got worse.

He could feel the cold metal shackles on his wrists holding his hands out beside him and rough timber under his back. He was chained to the floor, naked except for his underwear, in a room of who knew what. This was very bad.

'Hey, he's awake.' A voice said suddenly.

Oh yes, very bad.

He was chained to the floor, nearly naked, and in a room full of Gryffindors. Gryffindors he had taunted just the day before in probably the worst possible way.

'Malfoy, open your eyes.' Came another voice but the Slytherin ignored it. Suddenly he had a bucket of freezing water dumped on him. His jolted upwards, wrenching at both shoulders as he screeched like a banshee. 'I told you to open your eyes.' Came the cold voice of Hermione Granger who was standing in front of him, wand drawn.

Malfoy's eyes practically fell out of his head. He wouldn't have put it past the Weasel to try something like this, but Granger? The Mudblood lived by the rules.

Hermione's eyes narrowed as if she knew what he was thinking. 'Get him up.' She growled and suddenly Malfoy found his hands being yanked upwards and had no choice but to stand. He plastered an indifferent expression over his face as he took in the Weasel, Longbottom, Finnegan, Thomas and surprisingly the Weasel Twins standing around the room.

'What the hell do you think you're doing?' he snarled in a fit of bravado, especially considering his current predicament.

Hermione glanced at Ron before smiling, quite maliciously Malfoy thought absently. 'You Malfoy.' She said slowly. 'are a sneering, sarcastic, arrogant, obnoxious, immoral, repulsive, abhorrent little toerag.' The others in the room looked rather impressed at Hermione's vast vocabulary. 'and you are about to find out just how expensive that filthy little holier-than-thou, nothing can touch me attitude of yours really is.'

'You can't do this.' Malfoy yelled indignantly.

Hermione smiled that hideous smile once again, 'Oh yes, I can.' She told him as the others in the room pulled out what looked to be beaters bats. They weren't going to curse him; they were going to beat him. It was then that Malfoy noticed that Hermione was using his wand so there would be no way to prove Priori and he began to realise just what the consequences of what he had done were going to be.

'My father.' He began before having the breath forced out of his lungs as a beater's bat landed hard on his chest.

'You have no father, Malfoy. Here you are responsible for your own actions; your precious Daddy can't help you anymore.' Hermione said darkly, smiling again as another swing from a beater's bat landed on his kneecap, shattering it instantly.

Malfoy screamed and dropped, the shackles around his wrists the only thing holding him up.

'Aww, did that hurt, Ferret.'

Malfoy whimpered.

'Too bad.'

Another blow landed on his shoulder and pain lanced across his back. 'I can't believe you would do this.' Malfoy gasped, blinking and swallowing as he tried to fight down the pain.

Hermione stepped closer to him, fixing angry brown eyes to his own. 'Why? Because we're Gryffindors?' she laughed bitterly. 'You hurt one of our family, Malfoy. You hurt him so badly he almost died and then you had the gall to boast about it. To boast about how proud you were that you had done it. You're just bloody lucky Neville won't allow us to kill you or I would slowly remove your organs myself, one by one, with a spoon!' She was yelling by this point and took several moments to calm herself. 'What you did was reprehensible. You treated a fellow human being, a fellow wizard, lower than an animal and allowed others to do the same without even lifting a finger to help. And all because you were jealous. At least Voldemort has a reason to try and kill Harry. He knows Harry is going to destroy him. But you.' She had to stop again, the disgust so evident in her face and voice that she had to take another breath. 'You just did it for a chance to get back at Harry. To get one over on him. To better him at something; using something so vile as rape. Well how much better does it feel now?'

Another blow landed and Malfoy screamed again. Hermione stepped back and left the boys to it. She stood silently by the door to the room, idly twirling his wand in her fingers as the others, even the usually mild mannered Neville, rained blows down on every part of his body.

Malfoy prayed for anyone to save him but he knew it wouldn't happen. He didn't believe he was still at the school. The presence of the twins attested to that. If they had come onto school grounds there was no way this could have been kept a secret and he knew that there were secret passages out of Hogwarts and then Portkey's to almost anywhere.

The beating stopped and Malfoy gasped for breath. He hoped they were finished but then he felt his mouth yanked open and a vial of potion forced down his throat. He thought it might be a pain killer but he should have known better, even from Gryffindors. He screamed again as the potion burned its way through his body. He knew what it was. He remembered feeding it to Potter several times and watching in glee as the green eyed boy had writhed in agony.

'Please.' Malfoy rasped out.

Hermione was beside him again. 'Do you think that will work, Malfoy?' she said snidely. 'Did it work when Harry said it? I doubt it. You probably just laughed.' She snapped bitterly. Malfoy tried to move as far away from her as the shackles would allow. 'Oh no, Ferret, we still have so many surprises for you.' She drawled, sounding so much like himself. 'Of course they might not be surprises seeing subjected Harry to each and every one.'

Malfoy, if at all possible, paled further. 'Oh Merlin, no.' he breathed.

Hermione scowled at him. 'Oh Merlin, yes. See we know what you did, Malfoy. We know everything.' That said she waved her wand and one of his hands was yanked down and placed on a table that had been conjured just in front of him.

'Please no. Don't please.' Malfoy begged but to no avail as a bat came flying down, shattering the bones in his hands. The Slytherin screamed and passed out, waking moments later in excruciating pain to Hermione's Enervate.

'Harry didn't get off that easily Malfoy and neither will you.' She said curtly. It was only then he noticed his other hand had been released but there wasn't enough time for him to move it before the bat came down once again.

Malfoy's scream was more a groan as his raw throat gave up. His entire body was in shock, black and blue, blood oozing from numerous cuts and welts. Just how many broken bones he had he didn't know.

'Please stop.' He pleaded softly, as tears poured down his face.

Hermione glanced at the boys and nodded. As one they stepped back. 'We are going to stop now Malfoy.' She said quietly. 'Not because we think you don't deserve this but because we refuse to sink to your level of depravity. Consider this a warning, a minute taste of what you did, and a promise of what will happen if you even think of doing it again. Remember this, ferret, next time you are at one of those joyous little meetings of yours, remember this. Did you enjoy it, and if not do you think the person you are doing it to is enjoying it? And for once do something about it you weak, snivelling little sycophant, and prove that you really are a man and not just an arse-kissing servant of a mentally deranged psychotic.'

Once she had finished she removed the shackles and dropped the wand at his feet, all six silently leaving the room. Malfoy heard a door close and then all was silent and he curled into a ball and cried.

* * *

><p>Once they were downstairs Hermione broke down and Ron quickly wrapped his arms around her. 'You did good, Hermione.' He said softly. 'He had to know what he did. He was proud of it. He had to know how bad it was.'<p>

Hermione nodded into his shoulder. 'I know.' She sobbed. 'I just kept picturing him doing that to Harry.'

Ron hugged her tightly and turned to his brothers. 'Thanks Fred, George.' He said quietly as Hermione tried to compose herself.

The twins smiled wanly. 'Not a problem, right Gred?'

'Of course, Forge, Harry was part of our family.'

Ron smiled back at them. 'All the same, having you here helped.'

Fred nodded and glanced at his watch. 'We should all get going. It almost three am and you lot have to get up for class in a few hours.'

Seamus groaned. 'Oh shut up. I want to sleep for a week.'

'Me too.' Neville agreed. 'I couldn't sleep last night after what Malfoy said about Harry.'

'Come on then.' Dean said, holding the trap door open. They waited a moment as Fred and George apparated away with a crack, taking the bloody beater's bats with them before slowly climbing down into the tunnel and leaving the Shrieking Shack silent apart from the racking sobs of its sole occupant.

* * *

><p>Snape stalked back down to his rooms. The entire day had been abysmal and it was only the second day of classes. His godson hadn't been to any of his classes and none of the Slytherins had seen him since the evening before. On top of that the seventh year Gryffindors had not only arrived late to their class but two managed to fall asleep, one melted a cauldron, one blew one up and the other, Granger no less, botched the potion up so badly it stank out the entire classroom and the classes for the rest of the day had to be held in his private lab. All in all the man's current mood had been likened to a bear with a bee up its arse.<p>

'Aconite.' He growled at the portrait guarding his room. He now had to alert Lucius that Draco was missing. It couldn't have got any worse. Well he didn't think it would until he heard a whimper coming from his bathroom and stalked in, ready to let fly at whoever had had the gall to invade his rooms, only to find his godson, bloody and beaten, huddled under a ragged blanket, running his hands under what seemed to be freezing water, in what he figured could only be an attempt to numb the pain, looking at the state of them.

'Draco, what on earth?' he bellowed. Malfoy's head shot up and he grimaced.

'Severus.' He breathed raggedly before passing out.

Snape didn't even bother asking. He could guess what happened. Instead, he grabbed his godson and walked rapidly through the ever-darkening halls towards the hospital wing. The door banged open startling the medi-witch who glared at him as she calmed the homesick first year currently in the bed.

Snape ignored her, stalking through the ward and into a private room. The very room Harry had been brought to in fact.

What in Merlin's name?' Poppy said in a horrified whisper as she quickly closed the door behind her. Again Snape ignored her, leaving the room to fetch the potions he needed before returning. By that point Poppy had realised he wasn't going to answer and set about mending the broken form on the bed as best she could.

'Good god.' She murmured as she finally caught sight of his hands. 'It wasn't…' she trailed off, her head lifting and eyes locking with the potions master.

Snape shook his head as he continued sorting through the various vials of potions on the table. 'No, it wasn't. I believe it was retribution.' He said quietly.

'Retribution? For what?'

Snape glanced at his godson, checking the boy was still unconscious before speaking. 'Mr Malfoy has a terrible habit of speaking without thinking.'

'But still that shouldn't have brought on this sort of attack.' Poppy insisted.

'Depends what was said.' Snape murmured.

Poppy's eyes widened. 'He admitted it?' she said incredulously.

Snape nodded. 'To Potter's friends and dorm mates apparently. Last night. From what I heard he seemed quite proud of the fact. Idiot boy.' He added.

Poppy stopped what she was doing and stood up. 'He admitted raping Harry?' Snape nodded. The medi-witch's jaw clenched and she snatched her wand off the table and practically ran from the room.

'Get back here woman!' Snape bellowed after her. Poppy spun at the door to the main wing, her eyes flashing in anger.

'Get that monster out of my hospital wing this instant, Severus Snape.'

The expression on the potions master's face became icy. 'You're a medi-witch, you have sworn to look after the sick and injured, so get back here this instant. He's still in pain.'

Poppy glared right back at him, hands on her hips; looking most remarkably like Molly Weasley considering she didn't have red hair, was about five inches taller and sixty pounds lighter. 'Heal him yourself. Take him to St Mungo's and strike me off, I don't care. But I refuse, with every fibre of my being I refuse. I am not treating _**that**_!' She finished in a yell before marching from the room and slamming the door behind her.

Snape growled, glaring at the first year who was watching the exchange in curiosity and now, no small amount of fear, before spinning on his heel and stalking back to the private room.

He gathered his godson up once more, wrapping him in a sheet before moving back through the hospital wing and into Poppy's office.

'St Mungo's.' he called out and stepped into the now green flames.

CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

The uproar after he arrived was great, Lucius arriving almost only minutes later after having been alerted by the hospital staff.

'Who did this?' the blond aristocrat snarled.

Snape shrugged, trying to calm the other man by keeping his voice quiet and his mannerisms composed. 'We don't know yet.' He admitted. 'I found him in my chambers like this and he hasn't spoken since.'

Lucius' eyes narrowed dangerously. 'Surely you must have some idea. There is barely a place in that blasted castle that isn't covered by a portrait.'

'It didn't happen in the castle.' Snape said bluntly. 'The wards would have been triggered if it had. One cannot cause this much damage without them going off.'

'How did they get him off school grounds? It had to be someone he trusted. Draco wouldn't go with just anybody.'

'Not if he were conscious anyway.' Snape murmured.

At that point Albus swept into the room. 'Severus, what happened?'

Lucius turned on him before Snape could answer. 'What happened, Dumbledore,' He spat acidly. 'is that once again you failed to protect a student. You allowed him to be taken off Hogwarts grounds and tortured.'

Albus glanced at Draco who was now sleeping peacefully unable to really feel any guilt for the boy who had, after all, brought it upon himself. 'Would you like me to put tracking spells on them, Lucius? That way I could tell where they are at all times.' He said dryly.

Lucius' jaw clenched at the unspoken accusation. All three men knew Draco had left several times at the end of last term to attend Death Eater meetings even if it wasn't said aloud.

Albus spoke to Snape although his eyes remained firmly fixed on the blond man in front of him. 'Has Draco said anything about who attacked him?' he asked.

'Not directly, no.' Snape said quietly.

'But you have some idea.' Lucius finished for him. 'Who was it Severus? Who dared to attack a Malfoy?'

'I do not know as of yet, Lucius.' Snape said firmly. 'I only have suspicions. I won't accuse anyone without proof.'

'Tell me who they are, Severus.' Lucius insisted. 'I will get you your proof.'

Albus actually growled. 'And we all know how you will accomplish that.'

Lucius' expression darkened. 'Do not toy with me old man. My son has been attacked. No one would blame a man for trying to protect his son.'

Dumbledore's jaw clenched and his eyes narrowed as he became visibly angry. 'Then it is damn lucky that Tom killed James Potter all those years ago, otherwise you would be running for your life.' He spat nodding once to Snape before marching from the room.

Lucius glared at the retreating back, it taking several moments before he could calm down. 'The bond is strong between him and Potter, isn't it.' He said finally.

'What did you expect?' Snape gave an exasperated sigh.

Lucius glanced at his son before speaking. 'I never expected Albus Dumbledore to fall from his pedestal of perpetual politeness and use the word damn for one thing.' He drawled.

Snape snorted. 'Do you blame him?'

Lucius raised an imperious eyebrow and Snape decided he'd had enough.

'Don't look at me like that Lucius.' He snapped. 'What you did was wrong. What you let Draco do was wrong. What our Lord did was wrong. If he wanted to kill Potter he should have just done it and got it over with instead of torturing the boy and treating him like an animal. There may be muggles that deserve it but Potter is a wizard, and a powerful one at that. He didn't deserve what was done to him.'

Lucius' eyes had a calculating gleam. 'You sound as if your ideals have changed, Severus.' He taunted.

Snape glanced once more at Draco before looking back at the boy's father. 'You're wrong again, Lucius. I'm probably the only one whose haven't.'

Lucius opened his mouth to speak but Snape cut him off. 'Good evening Lucius. I will be back in the morning.' And with that he stalked from the room, knowing that it would be less than an hour before he felt the summons that could well be his last.

* * *

><p>When he stepped out of the headmaster's floo he found himself facing five sets of Hogwart's robes which happen to belong to the five Gyffindors he had just been thinking about.<p>

'Albus?' The raised eyebrow in the headmaster's direction seemed to convey the question Snape didn't want to voice.

'Apparently you gave them detention this evening and when they turned up and you weren't there, they came looking for me.' Albus explained.

'Yeah, thanks a lot, Hermione.' Ron mumbled quietly but not quietly enough for a man who can hear when a potion is hot enough just by listening to the bubbles burst.

'No, Mr Weasley.' The potions master sneered. 'You should be thanking Miss Granger. I wanted to speak with the five of you anyway, and with the mood I'm in right now if I had to go looking for you there is no telling what I might do to you when I found you.' The anger and malevolence dripped from practically every word and each of the Gryffindors swallowed nervously.

'Severus.' Albus scolded.

Snape ignored him. 'What did you do to Draco?' his voice deadly.

'We didn't do anything to the ferret.' Ron snapped back before dropping his eyes. Snape's own eyes narrowed as he looked at each of the boys in turn, all of whom were fidgeting nervously and wouldn't look up, before landing on Miss Granger, who stood defiantly glaring at him. Slowly she pulled out her wand.

'We didn't do anything. Check my wand if you like, Professor.' She said boldly.

Snape gave her a malicious smirk which morphed into an evil smile as she flinched. 'I don't need to see your wand, you foolish child.' He growled. 'Legellimans.'

'Severus, no!' Albus yelled, coming swiftly around the desk but he was too late. Snape had ripped through the girl's mind, images of the events the night before flashing in his eyes as Hermione cried out and clutched her head, her knees bucked underneath her and she sank to the floor.

'What the hell did you do you bastard?' Ron hissed as he pulled Hermione to him.

'Severus, what on earth were you thinking?' Albus admonished. 'You can't do that to a student.'

'Unless it's Harry.' Came Hermione's tearful mutter as Ron helped her shakily to her feet.

Severus just stood there glaring at the five. It was a death glare of Vesuvial proportions and one that promised Gyrffindor House, and all five of them in particular, enormous amounts of lost points and any number of public tongue lashings with some of the potions master's most creative and yet vitriolic vocabulary.

As if trying to hold in the anger he was currently feeling by not even unlocking his jaw he turned to the headmaster. 'I want them expelled. All of them.' He ground out.

'You have no proof.' Hermione said challengingly.

'None you can use anyway.' Seamus added.

'And you just Legellimised a student without their permission in front of witnesses.' Neville finally spoke up, cowering slightly as Snape turned his glare directly on the young man.

'They are correct, Severus.' Albus interrupted before his potions master caused Neville to wet himself. 'I have checked their wands for Priori but you are quite welcome to do it yourself if you wish.'

Snape looked calculatingly at the five teenagers and knew that with the astute Miss Granger in the mix they would have covered every base. He was about to say no when a chilling scream tore through the air. Ron and Hermione both paled as the other three boys looked around them fearfully. Albus had only moved two steps towards the portrait when Snape let out a pain filled grunt and clapped his hand over his left forearm.

'Severus, go.' Albus said, moving quickly towards the portrait.

'I'll be back.' Snape said curtly heading once again for the fireplace.

He grabbed a handful of floo powder but before he could throw it in, the portrait from Albus' rooms was flung open and a near hysterical Harry flew through it.

'No.' he cried, catching sight of the potions master standing by the fireplace, floo powder at the ready. 'Don't go. He knows. Lucius told him. Don't go. He will kill you. Please.' Harry pleaded, not seeming to notice his friends were even in the room.

'Harry.' Albus said quietly and Harry jumped, instantly clasping the headmaster's hand. 'Don't let him go, Albus. Please forbid him to go. I don't want anyone else to die. Please tell him.' Harry voice became quite fervent and his face wrought in anguish as he pleaded with his guardian to stop the other man.

'Severus I think you should stay here, at least for a bit until Harry can tell us what happened.' Albus said calmly. Severus sighed, dumping the floo powder back in the dish and dusting off his hands as he pulled out a vial and rolled up his sleeve, dumping the contents over the red raw Dark Mark.

'That should hold it for a little while at least.' He said bluntly.

It was then that Harry finally calmed down enough to notice the others in the room and he scuttled sideways into the corner, tripping over several chairs in the process. What would have been quite comical in other circumstances certainly wasn't here as Harry wedged himself into a ball, wrapping his arms tightly around his legs as his eyes darted fearfully between the portrait to his rooms and the door outside, both of which were now closed.

'No. It's not them. It's not them.' He whispered over and over again.

Ron comforted Hermione who burst into tears, Snape shifted uncomfortably and Seamus, Dean and Neville just looked at him in horror. Albus immediately raised his wand and turned everyone's robes into a light grey.

'Harry.' Albus said gently.

Harry kept up his mantra, eyes still darting wildly.

'Harry, listen to me. These are your friends. You remember Dean and Seamus and Neville don't you?' Albus said soothingly, edging close enough to Harry to lay his hand on the floor between them. 'Shh Harry. It's alright. They won't hurt you.' Harry eyes widened and he reach out and snatched the headmaster's hand with his own before pulling it close to his chest. His breathing slowing as he visibly calmed.

'That's it. Good boy. Take a couple of deep breaths and listen to me.' Albus went on softly. 'You're safe here, Harry. No one can hurt you. I won't let them.'

'Safe?' Harry whispered, his eyes finally stopping to rest on the blue ones in front of him.

Albus smiled. 'Yes Harry. Safe here with me.'

'Safe.' Harry whispered again as he scuttled closer and leaned up against the headmaster who continued rubbing soft circles on the back of Harry's hand.

The Gryffindor's horror quickly turned to wonder as, with Dumbledore's soft promises of protection, Harry calmed considerably, and while he made sure to keep the headmaster between himself and them he did look up several times and give them a small smile.

Albus glanced at Hermione and nodded and she quickly herded them from the room, each bidding Harry a good night before closing the door behind them.

* * *

><p>The five walked silently back to Gryffindor Tower each lost in his own thoughts until Dean finally spoke. 'We are in big trouble aren't we? With the war I mean.'<p>

'There is no way Harry can take on You-Know-Who like that.' Seamus added sadly.

Hermione looked ready to let fly at them but was stopped by Neville's calm voice. 'I wouldn't write Harry off just yet if I were you.' He said with a knowing smile. 'Most definitely not.'


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer – Not mine, none of it.

**Chapter 7 – Right from wrong.**

In Albus' office the headmaster had coaxed Harry out of the corner and onto the sofa, handing the boy a cup of tea and smiling indulgently as the boy sipped tentatively at it.

'You're very sneaky, Albus.' Harry said wryly.

'Why thank you, dear boy. Are you calmer now?' the headmaster responded lightly.

Severus looked curiously between the two before realising the boy could actually taste the calming potions Albus often laced his tea with.

Harry smiled. 'Yes, thank you.' He whispered. Dumbledore nodded his eyes twinkling as Harry shifted closer to him and let the elderly wizard rub his back soothingly. After several minutes Albus spoke up.

'Can you tell us about it now?' he asked gently.

Harry nodded and swallowed, his hands beginning to shake slightly as he closed his eyes and began to recount the vision.

'I didn't see what happened at the beginning. I didn't see anything until Riddle became angry. Lucius was there. He was repeating what Professor Snape said in the hospital.' Harry stopped and looked curiously at the potions master. 'Did you mean what you said?' he asked softly.

Snape glanced at Albus before nodding. 'Every word.' He said sincerely. 'What they did to you Potter was wrong. No one should be treated like that. Not that it excuses your friends however.' He added darkly.

'Severus.' Albus said harshly.

'What happened?' Harry looked curious.

'Nothing, dear boy.' Albus said quickly.

Harry's eyes narrowed. 'Don't lie to me, Albus. What did they do?'

Albus threw a glare at his potions master before responding. 'They attacked young Mr Malfoy.' He said quietly. 'Retribution, I believe.'

Harry paled. 'What did they do?'

'The same things that were done to you apparently.' Albus replied.

The horrified and disturbed expression that came over Harry's face was quite alarming and Albus quickly took both of Harry's hands in his and began murmuring softly to the boy.

'They didn't?' Harry could barely speak. 'Please tell me they didn't…..' Harry trailed off and Snape took pity on the boy.

'No Mr Potter, they didn't do that. It didn't go that far.' He said honestly.

Harry seemed to slump in his seat. 'I can't believe they would do that. I mean, what would make them do that to someone.' His eyes had filled with tears and his hands were shaking so badly the headmaster had to pry the half full cup of tea from his hands before he spilt the scalding liquid all over them.

Snape spoke again. 'Draco apparently said something quite hurtful regarding you.' He said. He didn't know why he was defending the little brats but for some reason he couldn't bring himself to break the tenuous hold on reality that Potter currently had; and his friends were a part of that hold.

'It doesn't excuse them.' Harry whispered vehemently. 'It doesn't excuse anyone. Nothing excuses anyone.'

Snape raised an eyebrow as Albus beamed at the Boy-Who-Lived. After everything that had happened, all that he had been through, the boy's soul was still untainted. There were no thoughts of revenge or retribution. It was unbelievable. It was also worrying.

'Mr Potter, can I ask you a question?'

Harry looked up, his mood having swung once more. 'You mean apart from the one you just asked?' he said cheekily.

Snape looked almost taken aback at the change but Albus just laughed it off. 'He got you there, Severus my boy.' The headmaster chuckled.

'Yes, right, well. What I was going to ask is whether you are capable of killing someone?' Snape asked bluntly.

The mirth in the air died and Harry looked at the potions master in contemplation. It was a strong piercing stared that seemed to reach deep into his very soul.

'Are you?' Harry said finally.

Snape raised an eyebrow. 'Quite capable thank you.'

'Then so am I.'

'But moments ago you said.'

'I said no one should be treated like an animal.' Harry interrupted him. 'What they did to me was wrong but that doesn't mean it should be returned in kind. Riddle will die, I assure you, but I refuse to sink to such a level. He will die quickly and probably painlessly.'

'But what of all the suffering he has caused.' Snape insisted. Albus just watched his two boys, an amused sparkle in his eyes.

Harry yawned and slowly wiped his hands on a napkin before looking up once more. Snape noticed the steely glint of determination in the boy's eyes. 'Do I have the word God stamped on my forehead?' He asked simply. 'It is not my place to judge and punish. My task is to destroy the Dark Lord any way I can. That is all. God himself, will deal with Tom in the afterlife. It is none of my concern. I'm glad that you're safe though, Professor.' Harry finished, standing slowly and squeezing Dumbledore's shoulder tentatively. 'Goodnight, Albus.' He said softly. 'Goodnight, Professor Snape.' He added before opening the portrait and disappearing up the stairs.

Albus watched the boy go before turning to see the younger wizard still gaping at the open portrait. 'Severus?' he asked concernedly.

Snape's mouth snapped closed. 'He's not real.' He whispered in disbelief. 'He can't possibly be real. No one can have been through what he has and still look at things the way he does.'

Albus sighed, lifting his cup and sipping delicately. 'He's an extraordinary young man.' He agreed.

'But how?' Snape was at a loss for words, something he really didn't like.

'That's just Harry.' Albus said, pride shining in his eyes.

Snape shook his head. 'Inconceivable.'

Albus just smiled and patted the potions master's knee. 'Drink your tea, my boy.' He said kindly and Snape, for once, obeyed without thinking.

* * *

><p>The next few weeks passed suspiciously quietly which set everyone's nerves on edge. Albus forbade Snape from collecting Draco Malfoy from the hospital the next morning, sending McGonagall and Sprout instead. It turned out to be quite the right decision as when the two professors arrived they found not only Lucius Malfoy there, but the elder Crabbe and Goyle, Avery and Marcus Flint also waiting and neither woman believed them to be there to check on Draco.<p>

Surprisingly Draco said he had no recollection of who attacked him and even more surprisingly his father actually believed him, something that startled Dumbledore, who could see through the boy's lie within minutes of arriving through his fireplace.

Young Draco had seemed quite subdued and spent the next several weeks in what Albus dubbed his pensive stage. The Gryffindors gave the Slytherin a wide berth after it seemed that he had learnt his lesson, even going so far as to call off Justin Finch-Fletchley and Terry Boot when they picked a fight with him.

Harry's sleep improved, not that that was really saying all that much; however his screams could still curdle milk. His friends continued to come by daily to visit although for the first three days after finding out what they had done, he had refused to see them. The dressing down he had given them a week later was something that would stay with Snape forever.

_Flashback_

Harry had bided his time until they brought it up and then let fly; his anger and disgust clearly palpable. He told them he was flattered that they thought they had to stick up for him but that if they even considered doing anything so offensive and immoral again he would personally hex them two ways from Sunday. That no matter what anyone did or said, they didn't deserve such treatment and that next time listen to their hearts not their heads because deep down they had to know that what they did was wrong.

Ron, Hermione, Neville, Seamus and Dean had all looked sheepishly back at Harry who was actually standing, albeit rather close to the door, his hands on his hips, his eyes both angry and pleading.

'We're sorry if we let you down, Harry.' Hermione said perceptively.

Harry had smiled, quite smugly in Snape's opinion. 'Good, because you are going to apologise.'

'But Harry.' Ron had burst out, unsurprisingly.

'Yes.' Harry's expression could have frozen a hippogriff in its tracks and it was several moments before anyone spoke.

'He never apologised to you.' Hermione offered nervously.

Harry had just looked at them all, one by one, and came out with what Snape decided would have to be the most intelligent thing the boy had ever said. 'Do you really want me to compare you to Malfoy?' He asked honestly.

The five Gryffindors had exchanged resigned looks before nodding. Harry had grinned brightly and sat down. Apparently all had been forgiven.

Snape, who had been standing with Albus in the shadows, had just stared in shocked disbelief at the Boy-Who-Lived. Albus was beaming at the boy proudly and Harry gave him a sly wink.

_End Flashback_

The next day the five Gryffindors had caught up with Draco in the library and one by one offered their apology for what they did. Ron found it the hardest, grinding out the words through clenched teeth but he still did it, something the Slytherin found astonishing.

After that Draco had gone to see the headmaster and requested to see Harry once again. It had taken Harry two days to decide if he would speak to the Slytherin but eventually he agreed and once again Draco was stupefied and brought upstairs, placed in the armchair by the fire, his wand having already been removed, before being woken.

Silver eyes blinked open to see green eyes staring at him from several yards away. Harry looked a lot more composed since the last time Draco had seen him. While he still had a slightly nervous shine to his eyes and the seemingly flight ready stance had not yet left him, he sat carefully on the edge of the bed, hands folded in his lap as he calmly surveyed the other boy.

'Potter.' Draco rasped, his voice suddenly becoming thick.

'Please don't call me that.' Harry said quickly, his eyes filling slightly as he looked away.

'Sorry.' Draco whispered.

Harry nodded, swallowing heavily. 'Malfoy, before you say anything, I have to apologise; for Ron and the others. They shouldn't have done what they did. I know they have apologised but I had to as well. They did it for me.'

'Pot…Harry,' Draco said, nervously using his name for the first time. 'You don't have to apologise for them, and certainly not to me. I'm the one who should apologise. What I did was wrong.' The room was silent for several moments even Albus and Snape who were standing in the corner trying to be inconspicuous. Harry looked curiously at the Slytherin.

'Why?' Harry whispered and Draco knew what he meant. At least he thought he did.

'Honestly, I don't know.' Draco said softly, looking away. 'My father expected me to do it. To be just like him, and I did it. He said I would be richly rewarded for following the Dark Lord.'

'And were you richly rewarded? Were you richly rewarded for letting them in?' Harry's green eyes were bright.

Draco looked up, his eyes wide in disbelief. 'Severus told you?' he breathed.

Harry shook his head. 'No, Professor Snape didn't tell me. Your father did.'

Draco looked as if he was about to be sick. 'My father?'

'I've known since the night I was taken exactly what part you played in this. Your father took great pleasure in telling me as he raped me.'

Draco flinched hard.

'Telling me that you hated me so much you were happy to hand me over to them. Is that true, Malfoy?' Harry whispered. 'Do you hate me that much?'

'I…I…I…' Malfoy trailed off. This wasn't going how he had planned it.

'Why are you here, Draco? What do you want?' Harry raised an eyebrow. 'Have you chosen between your half bloods yet? Will you stand up for what's right, or will you do what is easy?'

'I…'

'Have you chosen, Draco?' Harry repeated.

Malfoy closed his eyes. 'You don't understand. I can't choose. I have no choice. My mother would disown me. My father would kill me.' He pleaded.

Harry's expression remained impassive. 'And you think I won't.' he stated coldly. There was something in the tone of voice that made Draco realise that Harry would do just that.

'I…I just can't. I am a Malfoy. I don't have a choice. You have no idea what you're asking me to do, what you're asking me to give up'

'Harry.' Severus started but Harry broke in before he could continue.

The boy who lived stood up. His impassive expression gone as his eyes blazed angrily. 'Don't I? I'm not asking you to do anything I haven't already done. No one seems to care about just how much I have had to sacrifice. All they see is their saviour and what he should have done and what, if he fails, this war will cost them, what they will lose. Maybe it _**is**_ easier for me, I've already lost so much that I just don't notice any more.' Harry finished bluntly, getting up off the bed and crossing to stand by the false window. The last sentence causing both Snape and Dumbledore exchange a pained glance. 'Everyone has a choice, Draco.' Harry continued harshly, adding in a soft whisper. 'Everyone but me.'

'Please Pot…Harry. You have to understand. My father.' Draco began. Harry was at his side in an instant, his anger overtaking his fear as he punched the other boy. Draco looked up, a hand covering his bloody lip as he looked into the horrified green eyes in front of him.

'Oh my god.' Harry whispered in alarm.

Draco glanced at Dumbledore before his eyes narrowed. 'That's all you got Potter.' He sneered. 'My father would be so disappointed.'

Snape began to step forward to stop him but Albus shook his head. 'Just watch.'

'My father will be so pleased. He knew you were weak.' Draco watched the growing anger in the Boy-Who-Lived's eyes with slight apprehension but continued to provoke him. Suddenly Harry lashed out again, catching Draco soundly in the stomach. The air rushed out of his lungs instantly as he struggled to speak again. He couldn't stop now.

'Close but no cigar, Potter. You're hopeless. Voldemort will walk all over you.' It was on then. Harry was smacking and hitting the bigger boy with abandon. Most of the hits didn't really hurt. Harry had never been physically strong but as Draco saw the tears streaming down the other's face he suddenly realised what he had subconciously been trying to achieve. What Dumbledore had simultaneously known. The calm composed façade the Boy-Who-Lived was projecting was just covering all the anger. Harry needed this. He needed to let it out.

After more than five minutes Harry began to tire and Draco managed to get an arm around him and pull him close. In Harry's hurt and despair he didn't even seem to realise that he was being held, let alone who was doing it. Harry knees buckled under him as sobs racked his tiny frame and Draco followed him to the ground and continued holding him as Harry stammered out apology after apology. Draco just sat there listening to him as he cried.

'I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.' Harry sobbed.

Finally Harry quieted and Draco handed him a handkerchief and moved away before Harry could realise the position they were in. He stood slowly. 'Don't be sorry, Harry. If anyone deserved that, I did.' He said softly before looking at Snape and nodding. The potions master raised his wand.

'Wait.' Harry burst out, stopping Snape before he could stupefy the Slytherin. 'You…you don't have to choose Draco.' He said softly. 'Just don't stand in my way.'

Draco smiled wanly. 'I have chosen Harry.' He said quietly.

Harry's eyes widened as if he was almost afraid to hear the answer.

'You will protect me when the time comes?' Draco asked. The question was almost pleading.

The green eyes filled with tears. 'Yes.' He whispered.

Draco turned towards Snape once more.

'I can't forgive you, Draco.' Harry said softly. Draco closed his eyes and nodded.

'I don't expect you to. I wouldn't forgive myself either.'

'Stupefy.' Snape said firmly, realising this was the best time to finish this little conversation.

With a nod to Harry the Potions master picked up the young Slytherin and disappeared as Albus came to sit beside his charge. 'I'm so very proud of you Harry.' He said softly. Tearful green eyes looked up at him.

'I won't have to kill him.' Harry said softly. 'I won't have to kill anyone but Tom.'

Albus shook his head, holding his arms out and smiling as Harry crawled into them. 'Just Voldemort Harry; no one else.' The headmaster promised as he gently rubbed the boy's back. Within moments Harry was asleep and Albus stood up and carried him over to the bed and tucked him in, laying a gentle kiss on his forehead before leaving the room.

* * *

><p>Snape took Draco back to his chambers before waking him.<p>

'Severus?' Draco looked up at his godfather from his position in the sofa.

'Why did you do that, Draco?' Snape asked, gesturing to the black eye and the split lip.

Draco shrugged. 'Honestly?' Snape nodded. 'I don't know exactly. Afterwards I realised he needed it. He wouldn't have done it to anyone else. Well, not anyone that wouldn't have sent the killing curse at him for trying anyway.' Draco added wryly.

'So, you let your worst enemy beat the crap out of you because you thought he needed to.' Snape arched an eyebrow.

Draco blushed and ducked his head. 'Well, no. Not entirely. I thought I might feel a bit less guilty if he could let some of his anger out on me. Do something to me after all I did to him.' He said quietly.

'Ah, ever the self serving Slytherin.' The potions master sneered.

Draco's head whipped up. 'Yes, that's right. I am a Slytherin. I don't like these feelings. Guilt, remorse, contrition. These are not Slytherin feelings. They aren't Malfoy feelings. And I don't like them.'

'Get used to them Draco.' Snape said quietly. 'Either turn your heart to ice like your father or get used to them.'

Draco was silent for several minutes. 'Is that why you've turned from Lord Voldemort?'

Snape didn't answer straight away, instead crossing the room to pour himself a glass of whiskey and returning to sit in his favourite armchair. 'What did you father tell you?'

'Not a lot.' Draco admitted. 'only that you think Dumbledore is right and that Lord Voldemort is wrong.'

Snape took a deep breath. 'That is an…oversimplification.' He said grudgingly. 'Has your father ever told you about the first rise of the Dark Lord?' Draco shook his head. 'Back then Lord Voldemort was a charismatic man with vision far greater than ours. He realised the dangers of exposing our world to the muggles. Of mixing too much muggle blood with our own. Sure, we do need fresh blood on occasion but the Wizarding World is large enough that the dangers of interbreeding are almost negligent. We just have to get witches and wizards to move throughout the world more readily. You would be quite surprised just how many have never even left their home country.'

'But the rest of the world's only a Portkey away.' Draco insisted.

'To some.' Snape agreed. 'But an international Key can be quite expensive and even then people are afraid. Afraid to try something new.'

Draco seemed to think for a moment. 'What happened? With the Dark Lord, I mean?'

'I don't really know. I think when Potter destroyed him the first time it unbalanced him. And all the experiments he's done to try and become immortal have sent him insane. Back then, when I first met him he was, well. He was nice. He was probably one of the most intelligent people I had ever met. His hatred for muggles was strong but his visions for our future were as sound as any I have heard. I followed him willingly, Draco. He was a visionary and his power was incredible. Unfortunately, as they years passed he became more unstable, torturing his faithful followers for the most ridiculous reasons. The day he sent two fourteen year olds insane with the cruciatus for not greeting him correctly was the day I went to Albus.'

'When was that?'

'Twenty-one years ago.' Snape said quietly.

'Twenty-one?' Draco whispered. 'But that means...'

'Yes, Draco.' Snape broke in as the boy trailed off. 'I have been spying for that long.'

'But what about the Dark Lord's ideas. I thought you agreed with them.'

'I do, or I did.' Snape amended. 'His ideas are still sound and can be brought about by a powerful witch or wizard, but it won't be the Dark Lord that will usher the wizarding world into the new millennium in a few years time, I assure you.'

Draco looked carefully at his godfather for several moments. 'Potter.' He said flatly.

Snape nodded. 'Perhaps.'

Draco was silent from then on until he eventually got up, bidding Snape goodnight before heading back to the Slytherin common room, leaving the potions master in no small quandary. He had known exactly what Draco was thinking and while he was loathe to admit it, Harry Potter deserved better. Draco would have to be watched, and his visits to Potter carefully monitored. Snape had worked too hard towards the destruction of the Dark Lord, and waited too many years. He would not see the wizarding world brought down by a psychotic megalomaniac _or_ a Slytherin child who was having trouble dealing with his feelings of right and wrong.

With a sigh the potions master stood and moved through to his bedroom. Tomorrow was Saturday and he had several people he needed to speak to, Albus being the first.

Things were coming to a head and soon Potter was going to need to fight the Dark Lord and win. Snape was useless now he had forfeited his position as a spy, but that didn't mean he couldn't still help the light. Potter would need to be trained and to do that he would need to trust several knowledgeable wizards. That trust was going to be hard to cement but Snape vowed that he would succeed. Potter would come to trust him and that trust would not be misplaced.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer – It isn't mine.

**Chapter 8 – Found!**

Harry woke slowly the next morning, shifting the moment he was aware someone was in the room before he realised it was Albus and halted his initial flight towards the corner.

He smiled sheepishly at his guardian. 'Morning.' He murmured.

Albus chuckled slowly lifting his hand and giving Harry's shoulder a squeeze. 'Don't be ashamed, dear boy, I would expect nothing less.'

Harry sighed before looking back up at the kind blue eyes. 'Albus, I….'

'What is it, my boy?' Dumbledore said quietly, smiling inwardly as Harry subconsciously took his hand in his and held it tightly.

'He's coming soon. I can feel it. I need…. I can't….'

Albus didn't need Harry to explain. 'You need a wand?'

Harry shook his head. 'I need help. I can't even stand the thought of a wand pointed at me. How am I going to survive a duel with Him.'

Albus seemed to think for a moment. 'You are going to have to trust more just than me.' He said slowly.

Harry nodded and swallowed heavily. 'I know.'

'Is there any others you think you can trust to help?'

'Ron and Hermione.' Harry suggested.

Dumbledore nodded. 'Yes, they can help but we need at least another adult. Miss Granger and Mr Weasley are not well enough versed to train you for what you need to know.'

Harry swallowed again. 'Professor Snape.' He whispered hesitantly.

Albus sighed inwardly. 'You know Severus would never hurt you, don't you, Harry?'

Harry nodded. 'Yes.' He said hoarsely.

Albus smiled and patted his knee. 'Why don't you get up and have a shower, put on some robes and come down stairs. We have to work out how to get you a wand first thing.'

Harry smiled and nodded, gently sliding out of the bed and disappearing into the bathroom as Albus stood up and moved to leave the room. There was much to be done. Harry's road to recovery was well and truly beginning and Albus shuddered to think just how little time they had left to get to the end.

* * *

><p>Albus was quite surprised to find Severus waiting for him as he stepped out of the portrait. 'Fawkes again?' he questioned.<p>

Snape rolled his eyes and nodded. 'Bloody parrot.' He muttered.

'I wanted to see you anyway, Severus.' Dumbledore told him.

Snape sat down in the offered chair. 'So did I.'

Albus arched an eyebrow. 'What did you need to see me about?'

'You first.'

Blue eyes twinkled. 'We need to get Harry to Ollivanders today.'

'You think he's ready for a new wand?'

'He asked for one…in a way. He said Tom isn't going to wait much longer.'

Snape was silent for several moments. 'He's probably quite right. What do you need me to do?'

'I need you to floo Ollivanders a few minutes before us, explain what's happening and lock up the shop tight as a nut. We don't need anyone surprising us in there.'

Snape nodded. 'I can do that.'

'Marvelous.' Dumbledore smiled brightly at him. 'What did you need to see me for?'

Snape turned slightly and glanced at the closed portrait. 'We need to keep an eye on Draco. He doesn't have Potter's interests at heart in spite of his words to the contrary. While I don't think he would physically hurt the boy I don't see him worrying about using him for his own means.'

Albus smiled inwardly at the concern in the other man's voice. 'It's alright Severus. I know exactly what young Mr Malfoy wants from our Harry and I can assure you it won't happen. After the war is over Harry will not be in any position to give it to him.'

'What does he want?'

'He wants to be one step beside Harry all the way to the Ministry of Magic. What he doesn't realise; what, without knowing Harry he never would realise, is that after the war Harry wants to fade into anonymity. He doesn't want to be in the spotlight any longer than he has to.'

Snape just hummed softly in agreement.

'Was there anything else, Severus?' Albus asked encouragingly.

Snape sighed. 'Yes Albus, there was.'

'And?'

'I want to help Potter. He needs to be trained. My position as a spy is now forfeit and I can no longer claim to be helping the war effort. I will do whatever it takes to make the boy trust me but I want to make sure he is ready for the Dark Lord.' Snape was silent for a moment. 'So that he won't be hurt again.' He added.

'Thank you Professor Snape.' Harry's timid voice startled the potions master who used every once of self control he possessed not to leap out of the chair and throw a hex; scaring the boy beyond all repair in the process.

'Good morning Mr Potter.' Snape said quietly as he calmed his racing heart. 'You startled me.'

Harry smiled wanly. 'Sorry.'

Albus smiled benevolently at them both. 'Well Harry, are you ready to go?'

The two older wizards watched as the boy swallowed convulsively. 'Yes.' He whispered.

Albus smiled and nodded to Snape who stood up slowly and walked to the mantle piece grabbing a handful of floo powder and tossing it in. 'Leaky Cauldron.' He called out, stepping into the green flames and swirling away.

'Severus will walk down to Ollivanders and close the shop and them Fawkes will take us there, okay?'

Harry nodded but Albus could see the boy was incredibly nervous. Not that that was at all surprising considering this was his first trip out of the castle since his rescue. Albus opened a drawer in his desk pulling out a calming potion and swallowed a very small mouthful before holding it out. Harry's eyes narrowed and he tentatively reached for the vial. Albus could see the waring going on in the boy's head just by looking at his eyes. His distrust of any sort of potion ran particularly deep and that would take some years to change. Just looking at what a struggle it was to take a simple calming potion broke the elderly wizard's heart and he vowed that everyone who hurt his boy would pay no matter what young Harry proclaimed. He now knew without asking that Severus would also be in on anything of the sort.

Dumbledore glanced at his watch. 'Ready Harry?' he asked gently.

Harry nodded but didn't speak, waiting as Albus came around the desk and Fawkes flew down to perch on his shoulder. He gently clasped Harry's hand within his own and with a flash of fire they were gone.

* * *

><p>Harry subconsciously stepped closer to his guardian as they appeared in the middle of Ollivander's shop. Snape had the door closed and his hand in his robe pocket as he scanned the street outside. Ollivander stood behind the counter trying to be as unthreatening as possible.<p>

'Good morning Mr Potter.' The wand maker said softly. 'It is good to have you back with us.'

'Thank you, Sir.' Harry whispered shifting slightly closer to Albus once again.

Ollivander gestured for him to come closer and pointed to the array of items he had laid out on the counter. 'I need to see which one of these cores is best for you. Professor Snape has kindly let me know about your difficulties regarding seeing wands in others hands and I thought this might be the best way of matching you with a new wand.'

Harry gave the potions master a grateful look. 'What do I do?' he whispered.

The wizened old man gave him a soft smile. 'Just hold your hand over each one and if it is the right core it will feel warm to you.'

Harry nodded and raised the hand that was not holding Albus' tightly. One by one he held it out over the different cores. Dragon scale, veela hair, snake fang, dragon heartstring, bat wing, vampire tooth and many other things, even a red and gold phoenix feather. Nothing. Not one core warmed to him.

Harry looked up at Dumbledore, his eyes bright with unshed tears. 'Albus.'

'It's alright dear boy.' Albus said soothingly, patting him gently on the shoulder. 'Maybe we have to find something else.'

Suddenly Fawkes trilled from his perch on Harry's shoulder and plucked two long dark red feathers from his tail dropping them in the boy's hands. Harry gasped as they glowed brightly, warming his hands before spreading through his whole body.

'Two, Fawkes?' Dumbledore questioned. The phoenix trilled again and nuzzled his head against Harry's hair causing the boy to snicker softly.

'Mr Potter?'

Harry reluctantly placed the feathers on the counter in front of the wand maker and waited as he cleared the other cores away and placed several different types of wood down in their place.

'Try again please, Mr Potter.' Ollivander requested. Harry nodded and held his hand over the pieces of wood. The seventh and last one he tried glowed brightly and he could feel the warmth flowing through him once more. Harry sighed in relief not noticing the slightly stunned look exchanged between the two elderly wizards beside him.

Ollivander collected the piece of wood and the two feathers and disappeared into his back room just as Snape stiffened and spun to face them.

'Get him out of here.' He hissed to Albus as the door behind him exploded in a shower of wood and glass and four Death Eaters piled through.

'Go Fawkes. Come back for us.' Albus told the phoenix. Harry cried out as Fawkes whisked him away.

* * *

><p>Harry barely noticed as they appeared in Dumbledore's office and the phoenix disappeared once more.<p>

'Mr Potter?' Harry spun to see Cornelius Fudge and two Aurors waiting patiently for the Headmaster. Well they had been waiting patiently. At the sight of Harry, who Albus had yet to alert the Ministry had been found, they had all stood up and moved towards the Boy-Who-Lived who in turn made an almost comical flight over Dumbledore's desk and into the corner.

'No, no, stay away.' Harry whimpered, sinking down the wall to curl into a ball. 'Please don't.'

Fudge continued coming as one of the Aurors moved to the fireplace and called for reinforcements.

'Mr Potter, where have you been?' Fudge demanded.

'Please don't.' Harry cried, the small ball getting smaller by the minute. His green eyes darting fearfully between the Minister and the Aurors which seemed to be multiplying rapidly as two by two they stepped from the fireplace.

'Mr Potter, stop this nonsense this instant and explain yourself.' Fudge yelled rather loudly.

'No, no don't please. No!' Harry screamed as Fudge grabbed his shoulder.

'STOP.' Albus bellowed having appeared torn and bleeding in the middle of the room, Snape supported by one arm which he thankfully released as the potions master dropped into a chair. 'Get away from him.' Albus practically hissed as he darted around the desk, mindless of his injuries as he roughly pushed Fudge aside and knelt before Harry.

'No, please don't. Get away.' Harry whispered over and over. Snape quickly downed several vials of potion from within the folds of his robes before standing and moving towards the headmaster, herding Fudge and his Aurors back towards the rear of the office.

'Harry?' Albus said softly. 'Harry can you hear me?'

'No. Stop, don't please. No.' Harry keened, tears streaming down his cheeks.

'Harry, listen to me. It's safe. You're here at Hogwarts with me. No one will hurt you here, I promise.'

'Please.' Harry whispered again, his big green eyes fixing on the blue ones in front of him.

Albus knew what he wanted and held out his hands so Harry could hold them tightly. Slowly, inch by inch, Harry moved towards the headmaster; the Aurors and Fudge caught between fascination and horror as they tried to figure out just what had happened to their saviour. Finally Harry collapsed against Dumbledore and closed his eyes, tremors wracking his entire body.

'Breathe, dear boy.' Albus said soothingly as he gently rubbed the boy's back. 'That's it. You can do it, Harry. Just push them away. Picture them disappearing. They're all gone. Take a deep breath. Good boy.'

'Headmaster.' Snape said quietly, crossing the room and handing Albus a blue filled vial. Albus accepted the vial with a nod and held it up to Harry's lips.

'It's just dreamless sleep, Harry. You need to rest. Severus made it especially for you. Harry looked past the headmaster to see Snape, whose robes were currently blue making him blend in with the Aurors.

'Go on.' Snape encouraged and Harry clasped the vial and downed it, his eyes fixed on the black ones across the room.

Both Professors breathed a sigh of relief as Harry fell limp in Dumbledore's arms. The headmaster gently pushed the hair back out of Harry's face and stood, lifting the boy in his arms and cradling the small figure to him as he pushed through the stunned group and disappeared through the portrait.

For no reason anyone could fathom Fudge actually stayed silent until Dumbledore returned, sealing the portrait with a muttered word. Albus finally sat down at his desk with a sigh, allowing Snape to pass several potions across the desk as he muttered several different cleaning charms.

Eventually he conjured some tea, gestured for the Minister to sit down and looked up, the normally twinkling blue eyes weary. 'Good morning, Cornelius.' He said quietly as he sipped his tea, frowning at Snape who had tossed yet another potion into it.

'Dumbledore, what on earth is going on? How can you just send Potter to sleep like that? We need to know where he has been, what happened?' Fudge insisted.

Dumbledore held up a placating hand. 'It's alright Cornelius. We know what happened. Harry has been with us for over a month now. We just kept it quiet.'

'Quiet?' Fudge snapped incredulously. 'We have had Aurors looking for him round the clock.'

Dumbledore glanced back up at the Minister, his usually twinkling blue eyes hard. 'You stopped looking for Harry months ago, Cornelius.' He said coldly.

'Well what in Merlin's name is wrong with him? He looked crazy. Well, crazier than normal.'

Snape's eyes narrowed as he watched Dumbledore's expression become even colder. 'What do you think is wrong with him, Minister?' The potions master spat. 'He was held by the Dark Lord for almost four months. Do you think he and his Death Eaters treated Potter like an honoured guest?' He added with a sneer.

'Severus.' Dumbledore reprimanded him. 'Please sit with Harry for me.' He handed the potions master another cup of tea but not before the younger man saw the slight wand movement the Headmaster made towards it from behind his desk.

Snape took the cup and sniffed before slipping around the desk and disappearing up the stairs to Harry's room even as Fudge began to speak again.

'Now look here, Dumbledore. I don't care what the brat has been through. Obliviate him if you have to, but get him back to normal. He needs to be in school, he needs to be seen.'

Dumbledore arched an eyebrow. 'I'm afraid that isn't possible, Cornelius. Harry has been through a traumatic experience. Obliviating him is a short term solution and in the long run would do more damage.'

Fudge slapped his hand down on the desk. 'I don't care, Dumbledore. The boy only has to defeat He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. He can be fixed after that is done. And until then the public needs to see that he's okay. They he is back and strong enough to do his job.'

Dumbledore rose from his chair and several of the Aurors closest to him actually stepped back towards the fireplace at the expression on his face. 'I am asking you politely to leave, Cornelius.' He said quietly, his voice sharp.

Fudge sniffed regally. 'Not without the boy, Dumbeldore. If you won't fix him then I'm taking him to St Mungos. Dawlish, go get the brat.' He added imperiously.

Dumbledore didn't say a word as he stepped over to the fireplace and lifted the pot of Floo powder just a Dawlish barrelled back down the stairs. 'He's gone. Snape's gone too.'

'What!' Fudge burst out. 'Where is he, Dumbledore?'

'Goodbye, Cornelius.' Dumbledore murmured coldly.

Fudge folded his arms over his skinny chest. 'I'm not leaving without him, Dumbledore.'

The headmaster's mouth lifted into a smile that looked entirely out of place on his normally genial face. 'Goodbye, Cornelius.' He repeated calmly.

The Minister huffed and puffed, his face turning and attractive shade of purple however Shacklebolt took one look at Dumbledore's expression, feeling the weight of the man's magic swirling around them and signalled to three other Aurors who together bundled the Minister towards the fireplace and through the Floo.

Dumbledore waited patiently until the office was almost empty.

'You have some explaining to do, Albus.' Shacklebolt said quietly before he too grabbed a handful of floo powder and disappeared into the green flames.

* * *

><p>'Albus, are you alright?' Severus asked as the elderly wizard as he stepped into the bedroom at Grimmauld Place.<p>

The headmaster sighed and sat down on the bed, reaching out to gently stroke his fingers down the sleeping Harry's face. 'Fudge wanted him obliviated. Wanted him back in school and visible.'

The potions master sneered. 'Wanted the weapon on display then.'

'He who wields the weapon, wins the war.' Dumbledore murmured distantly.

Snape didn't respond to the comment, instead watching the emotions play over the older man's face. 'What now?' He asked eventually.

Dumbledore looked up. 'I need you to stay here with him.' He said softly. 'I need you to help him, teach him. There is no one I trust more than you to ensure that he survives this final confrontation.'

Snape frowned. 'What of my classes?'

'I will take them. Hopefully it won't be for too long, but he needs to be strong enough to do this. He is not a weapon, not in my eyes, not any more. But Tom did choose him, and Harry cannot escape the fact that he must complete this task, any way he can, before he can have true freedom.'

Snape stared down at the Boy-Who-Lived. The child really was tiny. It was unlikely he would have survived a protracted duel with the Dark Lord even if he had been whole. Sure, he'd survived meeting him several times, but he'd still barely escaped with his life each time, and a duel to the death could well result in an outcome neither man wanted for Harry. That only left one option.

'The uproar will be enormous if we choose that path for him.' Severus said quietly.

Albus finally looked up and Severus saw the determination shining in the suspiciously bright eyes. 'Yes, but it is the only way he will survive, and in the grand scheme of things, that is the only thing that matters to me anymore.'


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer – Nothing's mine but the plot.

**Chapter 9 – Elven Oak**

The aftermath of Fudge's visit was one of the biggest the staff at Hogwarts had ever seen. The Daily Prophet somehow got hold of it and every day it reported the most ridiculous stories.

The Slytherins, other than Draco, still taunted the Gryffindors. Telling them that the war was over and that Voldemort had already won. Lucius Malfoy made almost daily visits to the castle, under the guise of visiting his son, trying to find out any information on Harry's whereabouts. His almost desperate need for the boy was something that chilled Dumbledore to the bone.

The staff meeting the day after the first story came out was brutal but that was nothing in comparison to Order meeting the elder Weasleys and others demanded the next evening. Dumbledore had managed to hold them off for over a week but eventually he gave in and they met at headquarters late that Sunday night.

Albus found himself having to explain exactly why he had hidden Harry from the Order and what had possessed him to adopt the boy. Molly Weasley was beside herself.

'Albus, you are over a hundred years old. If you wanted someone to adopt Harry we would have done it in an instant.' She had practically shrieked at him.

Albus shook his head. 'No Molly, that wasn't what Harry needed. I did it to protect him. If he had been with you or someone else Voldemort or Lucius could have got to him. Under my direct protection _**no one**_ will be able to harm him.'

No one in the room could miss the strength in the headmaster's voice.

'Can we see him?' Molly pleaded softly. Many in the room echoed the question. Albus looked at them in contemplation before nodding slowly.

'I will ask. That's all I will promise. I'm not making Harry do anything he's not ready for.'

Molly and the others nodded hopefully as Albus stood and left the meeting room.

* * *

><p>He walked up the two flights of stairs and knocked gently on Harry's open door.<p>

'Come in.' came Harry's soft voice and Albus poked his head in to show Harry it was him before coming inside.

'Hello, dear boy.' Albus smiled, sitting down on the edge of the bed as Harry placed the book mark in the book he was reading and looked up.

'They want to see me, don't they?' he said knowingly.

Albus raised an eyebrow at the perception the child had. 'Only if you are ready, Harry. I don't want you to do anything you don't want to.'

Harry glanced down at his book. 'No. I will see them; if only to silence their fears.'

Albus shook his head. 'Don't do it for them, Harry. Do it for you. Do you want to see them?'

'I want to show them I'm alright. That the war isn't over yet.'

Dumbledore reached out and placed an arm around the boy. They had really made progress in the last week as Harry leaned into the one armed hug. 'Have I told you just how proud I am of you Harry?' Albus said softly.

Harry looked up and grinned. 'Not since yesterday.' He snickered.

Albus smiled and helped him off the bed and into his night robe. In silent companionship they walked back down the stairs, Albus' arm never moving from Harry's shoulders. They stopped in front of the door, Albus watching as Harry steeled himself before nodding slowly.

Albus pushed the door open and gently propelled the boy inside, never taking his arm from around Harry's shoulders. Harry barely had time to look at the twenty odd faces staring at him before Molly Weasley gasped.

'Harry.' She cried before barrelling across the room towards him. Harry's eyes grew impossibly wide and he shrank back towards the headmaster who wrapped both arms around him, shielding him from the emotional witch.

'Albus.' Harry whispered plaintively.

Just as Albus opened his mouth to stop her, Snape stepped directly into her path from his place beside the door, his imposing figure halting her progress instantly. 'Which part of do not scare the boy did you not understand?' The silky baritone was deadly and Molly opened and closed her mouth several times, unable to do say anything in response.

Snape moved slightly closer to her, giving her no choice but to move away and Snape moved back to his place by the door no one in the room missing the grateful look Harry gave him or the nod and small twitch of the lips the boy received in return.

'Harry?' Dumbledore said softly. Harry looked up, tearing his eyes from the potions master's and swallowed heavily.

'I'm fine.' Harry breathed heavily.

Albus rolled his eyes. 'I swear I'm Oblivating you and removing that word from your vocabulary.'

'Get in the queue.' Snape murmured. Harry poked his tongue out at the older wizard, an unbelievably childish gesture that stunned the entire room. Harry Potter did not do child. He never had.

Snape just snorted and moved to sit down making sure to leave a seat free between himself and the headmaster, one which after a little prompting from Albus, Harry took slightly nervously. There were more people in this room than Harry had been exposed to since his rescue. He gave a small sigh as he felt Dumbledore's hand come to rest on his own and he grabbed it tightly. He didn't know why, but his level of anxiety seemed to lower considerably when he simply held the hand of someone he trusted.

He almost reached out for Snape's too as he had done many times this week during his lessons. The first time Albus had pointed a wand at him had almost sent him over the edge but Snape had caught him, and he had held on for grim death until finally he had nodded and Albus had sent a tickling charm at him. Things had got better since then.

Snape, as if knowing what he was thinking had surreptitiously placed his hands in his lap under the table, before reaching out for Harry's. Harry's eyes widened comically but Snape gave him a look that spoke volumes and Harry knew not to say a word.

'Harry?' Molly asked. 'How are you?'

'I'm fine.' Harry said automatically. Snape rolled his eyes and Albus squeezed Harry's hand. 'I will be fine.' Harry corrected.

Molly didn't seem all that satisfied. 'Surely you want to be with Ron and Hermione and Ginny at the moment.'

Harry opened and closed his mouth several times. 'Not really.' He said softly.

'Aren't you bored here?'

Harry shook his head. 'I have lots to practice before going after Tom.'

'Going after whom?'

'Voldemort.' Harry clarified quietly as over half the room flinched.

'What do you mean going after?' Mad-Eye Moody interrupted.

Albus went to speak but Harry disentangled his hand and reached up to place it on the headmaster's shoulder effectively stopping him. 'Riddle has waged war on the wizarding world for long enough.' Harry said softly. 'He has to die, and soon.'

'Mr Potter you surely can't be ready to duel him and his Death Eaters all on your own. Certainly not after what has happened.' Kingsley Shacklebolt insisted. His comment echoed by many others.

Harry sighed. 'I won't be dueling the Death Eaters, I won't even be dueling Tom, and I certainly won't be on my own.' He added glancing up at both Albus and Snape.

'Harry, what are you saying? How are you going to destroy You-Know-Who if you won't even duel him?' Arthur Weasley spoke up. Harry glanced once more at Albus who nodded reluctantly before giving Snape a pointed look. A moment later Snape stood and left the room and Harry kept his eyes downcast on the hands in his lap.

Many around the table seemed to want to continue questioning the Boy-Who-Lived but one look at the headmaster's face held them at bay. Several minutes later Snape returned placing a box in front of Harry before sitting down. Harry took a deep breath before releasing the clasps on the box and opening the lid. He reached in and pulled out what looked to be a muggle gun.

'Harry, no.' Arthur breathed.

'Is that….?' This from Arabella Figg.

'You can't use that, Harry.' Tonks gasped, the horror in her voice echoed by nearly everyone in the room.

'Why not? Won't it work?' Harry asked innocently.

'You don't understand, Harry. You can't use a muggle gun in a duel. Albus, you can't let him use a muggle gun in a duel.' Tonk couldn't seem to get past it.

'I told you. I'm not duelling him. I'm destroying him.' Harry was insistent, not letting the headmaster speak.

'But Harry, muggle weapons have never been used in our world. Ever since guns and such were invented there was an implied agreement throughout the wizarding world that they would never be used. You would be an outcast even if you did succeed in bringing down the Dark Lord.' Molly's plea was impassioned but it had no effect.

Harry just shrugged. 'I don't care. I just want this all over and done with.' He said quietly, nervously flicking the safety of the gun on and off until Snape took the weapon carefully out of his hands and placed it back in the box.

'But Harry, surely if you just waited, trained some more.' Molly insisted again.

Harry glanced down at his lap, his shoulders slumping as he took a deep breath. When he looked up the members of the Order couldn't help but see the pain and fear in the boy's eyes. 'I can't wait anymore, Mrs Weasley. Can't you understand that? I just want this to be over. I'm so tired.' Harry's gaze dropped once more to his lap.

'Harry?' Albus said softly.

Harry looked up at him, his eyes bright. 'Albus, may I be excused now please?' he pleaded. Albus smiled at him, gently squeezing his shoulder.

'Of course, dear boy.' he said softly pushing his own chair away and beginning to stand. Snape shook his head.

'I'll take him Albus, you stay and finish the meeting. You still haven't discussed the other day.' The potions master gave him a pointed look and Albus glanced at Harry, who nodded.

'Thank you, Severus.' Albus smiled as Severus gently helped Harry out of his chair and slowly from the room. The Order members openly gaping as they caught a glimpse through the not quite shut door, of the normally irascible potions master lifting the weary Boy-Who-Lived in his arms and heading for the stairs.

* * *

><p>When the meeting finally finished, Albus, having to defend Harry's choice of action for over an hour after the boy had left, walked slowly up the stairs and into Harry's room to find Snape and Harry in the exact positions he had left them every night this week. The older wizard in the rocking chair with Harry curled tightly in his lap. This time however, the potions master was also fast asleep.<p>

Dumbledore smiled, conjuring a blanket and placing it over his boys before moving quietly from the room. He knew they would know he had returned to the school. He had spent the weekend at Grimmauld Place but another week began the next day and Albus had to be back at Hogwarts. He would be back for an hour at lunch and then again after dinner as he had been all week.

Snape had been staying with the Boy-Who-Lived as Dumbledore took his classes. They practiced during the day, showing Albus at night how far Harry had progressed. Snape was in awe of the boy, something Albus had no trouble seeing even as the Potions master tried to hide it. Harry seemingly had no problems trusting the other and as the week progressed they grew closer and closer. Harry found out that the normally snarky man possessed a wicked sense of humour and he had no qualms in joking with him, saying things he would never have said to Dumbledore. Snape, for his part, looked after the boy as if he was his own. Making sure he ate enough and got enough sleep, and every night Harry would sit curled on Snape's lap in that comfortable rocking chair as Snape murmured nonsensical stories to him to make him go to sleep. Those quiet times, after the deadly training of the day, allowed Harry the chance to be a child, the chance to see what a real childhood should have been, and Harry grabbed onto it with both hands and refused to let go.

* * *

><p>Another week passed, Snape finally admitting that Harry was ready. Albus arrived for his usual supper, this time carrying a small rectangular box which he set down on the table before Harry. Harry, for his part, just stared at it unmoving.<p>

'Harry?' Snape said softly.

Harry started and looked up, swallowing nervously before reaching for the box. Slowly he lifted the lid and stared at the long stick of wood contained within. 'My wand.' Harry breathed.

'Harry, there is something you must know about your wand.' Albus said carefully. Harry tore his gaze from the contents of the box and looked up once more.

'What is it?'

'The wood, Harry. The wood it is carved from is very special. It is from an Elven Oak; a mystical tree with powerful protective properties.'

Harry glanced down at the bright gold wand that still lay in the box. 'That's why you wanted me to learn to shoot.' He said quietly.

Albus nodded sadly. 'You cannot cast anything even remotely offensive with this Harry. You will be able to cast shield charms that will stop almost anything but nothing offensive, not even so much as a Hiccough Hex.'

'It doesn't matter.' Harry said softly. 'After seeing what even some of the simplest spells can be used for I don't know if I could say them anyway.'

Both Dumbledore and Snape placed their arms around his shoulders and hugged him between them.

'You don't have to do anything, Harry, we will help. All you have to do is fire as soon as you have a clear shot. Nothing more.' Snape promised.

Harry glanced up and smiled. 'Then I can go?' He questioned.

'Wherever you want.' Albus promised.

Harry smiled again and allowed himself to be guided up the stairs and into the bedroom. Snape took his customary place in the chair as Harry changed into some pyjamas, wrapping a blanket around himself and climbing onto the potions master's lap, sighing happily as the strong arms came and held him.

'Do you realise that you would give nearly every student at Hogwarts a heart attack if they could see you now?' Harry giggled.

Snape gave him a mock glare. 'And that is exactly why they will never know.' He said sternly. Harry giggled again before suddenly going quiet.

'Harry?' Albus asked from his seat on Ron's bed. 'What is it?'

Harry shook his head, looking up at the potions master in fear. 'You're not going to….?' He trailed off.

'I'm not going to what, Harry?' Snape asked curiously. He didn't know what could have caused the boy to suddenly become speechless. 'Tell me.'

Harry swallowed, burrowing deeper into the blankets. 'It won't be like it was, will it?' Harry pleaded softly. 'When we go back tomorrow, you won't change will you?' Snape looked stunned that the boy knew they were returning to the castle.

'How?'

Harry grimaced. 'You wouldn't have given me the wand if we weren't.' he said simply. 'It won't be the same as before will it?' The green eyes were pleading with him to agree and it was all Snape could do not to promise the boy the world.

As it was he gently began rocking back and forwards. 'No Harry, for you, it won't be the same as before.'

Harry just beamed, his eyes suspiciously bright before he closed them and let the gentle rocking help him drift off to sleep.

It was some time before either man spoke, Harry's breathing and the soft rocking the only sounds to be heard. Eventually Snape couldn't stay silent any longer. 'Can he do this, Albus?' he whispered. 'Hogwarts, I mean.'

'I believe he can, Severus. Harry is strong, however he does have a reason to fear returning to the castle.'

'You mean apart from Lucius.' Snape raised an eyebrow.

'Severus, can you promise me something?' Albus asked hesitantly. Snape looked at him curiously and the headmaster went on. 'No matter how bad the day, or the class, or anything else, don't turn him away, don't hurt him.' The request was so plaintive, so unlike the normally strong and powerful wizard that all Snape could do was nod dumbly. 'These last two weeks you have helped Harry more than you will ever know. When Tom attacks and Harry finally succeeds, and I do not think it will be long in coming, it will be because of the trust you built with him. Don't let the pressures of the school render it forfeit.'

'I won't, Albus.' Snape whispered firmly.

Dumbledore smiled, standing slowly and crossing to stare down at Harry's sleeping face. He lifted a hand and gently brushed the hair from the boy's forehead, cupping the cheek and sighing softly. 'I know you can do it, Harry.' He said quietly. He gave Snape's shoulder a pat before walking to the door. With a hand on the door knob he turned back.

'Don't spend all night in that chair, Severus. You aren't as young as you used to be.' Albus scolded, grinning brightly at the scowl the younger man sent his way before moving swiftly from the room, his chuckles able to be heard all the way down the stairs.

* * *

><p>Dumbledore waited as Minerva tapped her goblet, catching the attention of the students as they ate their breakfast the next morning. Within moments the room was silent and Dumbledore stood.<p>

'Good morning children. I hope you are ready for another week of learning. I'm sorry to disturb your breakfast but I have some wonderful news and a couple of small requests.' Albus looked out over the hall. 'More than five months ago we lost one of our own. Harry Potter was taken from Gryffindor Tower, never to be seen again. As you all read in the Prophet two weeks ago young Harry has been found.' Whispers broke out around the hall. 'And he will be returning to Hogwarts this evening.' Dumbledore finished loudly, but was drowned out by the cheers that exploded from the tables.

Dumbledore waited until the noise abated, finally resorting to tapping his fork against his goblet himself this time. The students looked back up at the headmaster in anticipation. 'Here is where I ask you all to help me with several small things and I know that, as proud students of Hogwarts, you will do your utmost to fulfill them. Young Harry has been through an awful ordeal, something I doubt that any of you could even begin to fathom in your direst of nightmares.' The headmaster paused a moment to glance at the Slytherin table to notice Draco Malfoy looking sheepishly at his lap.

'Harry is not completely well yet and there are several things you all need to remember around him. Firstly, do not ask him about his time away from us. Trust me, you do not wish to know the details. Secondly, do not crowd him, he is still nervous around many people and lastly, do not point a wand in his direction. Any student I hear of do such a thing even if no spell ever leaves their lips, will find their wand snapped and themselves on the Hogwarts Express back to London before they can say Canary Creams. I trust you all understand.'

Nods were given from all around the hall and Dumbledore's face broke out into a beaming smile. 'Wonderful, wonderful. Now for the next two weeks we are having what muggles call casual days. In other words you can all wear anything you like. I don't want to see a black Hogwarts robe anywhere in sight. Now tuck in, there are books waiting for you all.'

Dumbledore sat down as the hall exploded once more. He knew tonight was going to be difficult for Harry. He just hoped the others students would leave the boy alone.

* * *

><p>Harry had allowed Snape to hold him tightly as they flooed from Grimmauld Place to land in Dumbledore's office. He saw the headmaster waiting for him and quickly crossed the room and into the waiting arms.<p>

'Albus.' Harry breathed allowing the older wizard to hug him tightly.

'My dear boy.'

It was several minutes before the two pulled away and Harry smiled tentatively up at the headmaster. 'I assume you told them I was coming?' he asked hesitantly.

Dumbledore nodded. 'Yes, I did. I didn't want anyone troubling you.'

'Will I be staying in G...Gryffindor Tower?' Harry stammered, distantly feeling the potions master place a hand on his shoulder.

'No, Harry. You will be staying up here with me.' The sigh of relief the boy tried desperately to hide did not go unnoticed. 'Each of your teachers will escort you to your next class and you will eat with us at the head table.' There was that sigh of relief again and Harry gave both wizards a grateful look.

'Are you ready to go down now, Harry?' Snape asked tentatively.

Harry gave a small smile and nodded. 'As I'll ever be.' He whispered.

'Do you have the weapon?'

Harry nodded, patting the small of his back where the gun and holster were strapped under many concealing charms.

'Good, only take it off in your room. You never know when the Dark Lord will decide to show his scaly face.'

Harry snickered at the potions master's description and allowed the two older wizards to steer him from the room.

The trip to the great hall through the empty corridors seem to pass far too quickly for Harry's liking and in what seemed like seconds they were passing through the small room that was off the hall up near the head table. Albus stopped beside the door, the rumble of talking students filtering through the door. Harry hesitated, feeling the potions master's hand take his own.

'Alright there, Harry?' he said softly. Harry glanced up at him and nodded, relaxing slightly as Dumbledore's arm came to rest on his shoulders and the two led him through the door.

The rumble stopped almost instantly and the entire school watched an extremely nervous Harry Potter be escorted to the head table to sit between Snape and the headmaster. It was blatantly obvious to all in the room that Harry was under the direct protection of the two most powerful wizards in the school.

The seventh year Gryffindors waved to Harry who gave them a small smile before they turned back to their food. Harry tried hard to ignore the staring as Albus loaded his plate with food. Eventually Ron had had enough, noticing none of the rest of the students had followed their example and gone back to their meals, and half stood in his chair and bellowed.

'Yes, it's Harry. He's not going to change colour on you so stop bloody gawking and eat for Merlin's sake.'

Harry shot him a grateful look and Ron winked, saluted and sat back down. Harry snorted softly at the display and felt slightly more at home as he tucked into the food on his plate. He knew coming back here was going to be hard but he also knew it wouldn't be for long. Voldemort would soon learn that he was back, if he didn't know already, and Harry knew Tom Riddle would not wait much longer.


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer – Isn't mine.

**Chapter 10 – Priceless Rewards**

By the end of the meal Harry was exhausted; the constant state of heightened alertness tiring him greatly. Every time a sharp noise sounded Harry jumped and when two fourth years began yelling at each other for something, Harry almost dived from the table into the corner, only the headmaster's arm kept him in place.

Finally all the students left, Ron and Hermione waving to Harry before pushing the other Gryffindors from the hall. Harry was almost asleep, his head resting on his hand as the teachers all moved to stand.

'Harry.' Snape whispered, placing a gentle hand on the boy's arm. Harry stiffened slightly before relaxing and glancing up.

'Can we go now?' he asked blearily, looking and sounding more like six than seventeen.

Snape smiled. 'Yes, Harry, let's go.'

Harry stood with the rest of the staff and came wearily around the table before almost stumbling head over heels down the steps.

'For Merlin's sake, you can't actually walk with your eyes closed you foolish child.' Snape muttered, picking the boy up in his arms.

'Sure you can.' Harry mumbled into the potions master's shoulder before yawning. Snape rolled his eyes before glaring at Minerva and the others who were looking at him in stunned disbelief.

'Not a word.' He ground out.

'What?' Harry murmured.

Snape's expression softened. 'Nothing, go back to sleep.'

'Mmm 'kay.'

Without another word Snape walked quickly but quietly from the hall, Harry cradled in his arms like a ten year old. The fact that Harry wasn't actually much taller than your average ten year old and certainly nowhere near as heavy made this seem much less unusual than it might have. Well, if it had been anyone other than Severus Snape, anyway.

When pressed Albus just smiled and the rest of the staff left the hall muttering wildly. It was, all in all, an interesting evening.

* * *

><p>Harry woke the next morning feeling brighter than he had in ages. He hoped classes today would okay. Hell, he just hoped breakfast would be okay. He hopped out of bed and showered, quickly pulling on some clothes before walking slowly down to Albus' office.<p>

'Good morning, my boy.' The headmaster said jovially as he poked his head through the portrait. 'Are you ready for breakfast?'

Harry nodded and Albus smiled inwardly at the lack of hesitation before the gesture. Taking the boy's hand they walked down the spiral stairs and through the corridors of the school. The hall was only half full when they arrived but his friends were waiting for him. Albus stopped beside them and they greeted the headmaster respectfully.

'Hi Harry.' Hermione smiled brightly at him and Harry reached out and squeezed her shoulder gently.

'Hey Hermione.'

'Do you want to sit down?' Ron gestured to the empty seat opposite him and beside Hermione. Harry glanced up at Albus, his expression pleading.

Albus read it correctly. 'Harry will eat with me for the time being, Mr Weasley, but thank you.'

Harry sighed almost inaudibly but Hermione, who was sitting at his left shoulder, caught it. 'Whenever you're ready, Harry.' She whispered.

Harry gave her a small smile and dutifully followed the headmaster towards the head table where they sat down to eat.

Less than ten minutes later the doors flew open with a bang and Snape stormed through and up towards the head table glaring murderously at the Slytherins. Albus had caught Harry halfway out of the chair and was surreptitiously keeping the boy in place while whispering to him all the while.

Harry swallowed several times, his eyes darting nervously around the hall as Snape approached. The potions master caught the panicked look in the boy's eyes and he immediately slowed his steps, his face dropping its previous expression as he looked at Harry in concern. He came slowly around the table and slipped into his seat, sighing thankfully when Harry didn't pull away.

'Harry, I'm sorry if I frightened you.' He whispered.

'Y…you didn't.' Harry stammered. Snape arched an eyebrow. 'Well, maybe just a bit.' Harry gave him a wan smile. Snape reached over and clasped the boy's hands within his.

'I would never yell at you Harry, always remember that. I may yell at others but never you.'

Harry nodded and gave him a genuine smile and once again all was right with the world.

* * *

><p>Harry's first class was interesting to say the least. Professor McGonagall escorted him from breakfast and had him sit in the corner nearest the door. Harry gave her a grateful look as she moved to her own desk and the other students filed in.<p>

They were transfiguring inanimate objects into animals, a rather complex spell to make something a living breathing thing.

When the class as one pulled out their wands Harry almost fainted dead away, he found his eyes frozen at the sight and his breathing became quite unsteady.

'Harry?' Hermione whispered softly from his side. 'Are you alright?'

Harry nodded and swallowed heavily. 'Fine.' He croaked out, wishing he was anywhere but where he was.

McGonagall set them their task and walked across to Harry, kneeling beside his desk and placing a gentle hand on his arm. 'Mr Potter.' She said softly. 'Just take a couple of deep breaths and look at me.'

Harry did as she asked and she gestured to the students who were trying, and failing to look as if they weren't watching.

'The wands are pointed at the desks. I promise you no student will raise a wand at you in this class.'

Harry nodded but didn't speak, instead pulling out his wand and beginning the task. Hermione kept a worried eye on him as he struggled to change the feather duster into a bird. He couldn't concentrate, his eyes were too busy darting nervously around the room, to check the wand movement and eventually he just gave up and put his wand away.

'It will take some time, Harry.' Hermione whispered kindly and Ron nodded in agreement.

Harry sighed. The others could see Harry wanted nothing more than to curl up into a ball and shut everyone out again. Hermione raised her hand, giving McGonagall a look that made the professor make her way through the classroom towards them.

'Yes, Miss Granger?' she asked softly.

Hermione glanced at Harry, who was paling by the minute. 'Can we please be excused just for a minute?'

McGonagall glanced down at Harry before looking back at Hermione. 'Take him down to Professor Snape.' She said quietly. Ron, Hermione and Neville stood and Hermione gently clasped Harry's elbow and tugged him slowly from the room.

Harry sighed audibly as the door closed behind them and he stopped to lean against the wall, his head buried in his hands. 'You can do this.' He whispered over and over.

'Harry?' Hermione asked tentatively. Harry had begun trembling and Hermione was hesitant to touch him. 'Neville, you go get Professor Dumbledore. Ron, you get Professor Snape.' She instructed and the two boys shot off down the corridors in different directions.

'They won't hurt you. You can do this.' Harry continued whispering as if trying the soothe himself. His breathing became more erratic and Hermione was afraid he would pass out there in the hallway. Running footsteps sounded and Hermione quickly pulled her wand causing Harry to flinch violently.

'Harry.' Snape's soothing baritone filled the hallway and Harry's head snapped up.

'Professor.' Harry's eyes were still darting nervously and Snape quickly moved towards him, dropping to one knee and reaching out to clasp his shoulders.

'It's okay Harry. No one is going to hurt you.' He said softly.

'Professor.' Harry gasped again.

Snape pulled him forward so that the boy was leaning against him and began gently rubbing his back. 'You're okay, Harry.' He said again before standing again; placing an arm around Harry's shoulders and gently guiding him towards the headmaster's office. At the end of the corridor he stopped and turned back to the stunned Gryffindor.

'Miss Granger, I have left Mr Weasley in charge of my first years. Would you be so kind as to go and save him before, between them, they rearrange my dungeons.'

Hermione didn't know whether to be more shocked that Snape had been nice to Harry or that he had left Ron in charge of a potions class or finally, that he had made a joke about it. Deciding that thinking too hard about it was going to make her head explode, she quickly fled.

The potions master smirked inwardly and continued guiding Harry towards the Headmaster's office.

CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

'What happened, Harry?' Dumbledore asked after Harry was changed and tucked firmly into bed, his two father figures sitting either side of him and looking down at him in concern.

'T…T..too many wands.' Harry stammered. 'They all had one. It was just stupid. I was stupid.'

'Don't say that Harry.' Snape scolded.

'It was my fault, Harry.' Albus said sadly. 'We should have started with some of the other classes like Magical Creatures or Potions that don't need a wand. Transfiguration and Charms was probably not a good way to begin.'

'It's alright, Albus. Honestly. My head knows they won't hurt me, I just can't get the rest of me to agree with it.' Harry sighed.

Snape squeezed his hand. 'The rest of you has never listen to your head before so why should it start now.' He joked.

Harry's eyes narrowed and he scowled at the older man. 'Ha, ha.'

Albus' eyes began twinkling again as Harry settled back into his comfort zone. 'How about you just rest up here for a while and Severus will come and get you after lunch for your potions class.' He suggested.

Harry glanced at Snape before nodding. 'Okay.'

Both men clasped his shoulder tightly before leaving the room and Harry pulled out his book and began to read.

It was several hours later when Snape returned. Harry had actually fallen asleep but the gentle shaking woke him and he managed to stop himself before he shied away.

'Harry, come on. Class starts in ten minutes and I don't want you walking through the halls when they're full of students.' Snape insisted.

'I'm up. I'm up.' Harry moaned, pushing the blankets off him and standing slowly. His panic attack had really wiped him out.

A few minutes later with Snape's arm around his shoulders he walked quickly through the corridors towards the dungeons. They arrived without incident and Harry took his seat directly in front of Snape's desk.

The bell rang and the students began filing in. Malfoy's eyes widened at seeing Harry and he immediately made a beeline for the seat next to him before the Boy-Who-Lived's friends arrived. Halfway across the room he was stopped by a firm hand on his shoulder.

* * *

><p>'I think not, Mr Malfoy.' Snape said softly, steering the Slytherin to a seat on the other side of the room. Malfoy knew it was useless to argue and settled for trying to catch Harry's attention. Harry for his part, seemed oblivious as he set up his cauldron and pulled out his book.<p>

Snape waited until they were seated before turning a glaring look at them all. 'Today we are skipping several chapters and will be brewing the Dreamless Sleep potion. This is a very complicated potion that will explode so I want no idiocy in this classroom or the consequences will be dire. Do you understand?' His voice lowered dangerously.

'Yes, Professor Snape.' The class chorused.

'Good. Instructions are on the board, you may begin.'

Harry glanced at Hermione as the students rushed towards the supply cupboard. She interpreted the look quickly. 'I'll get your ingredients for you.' She offered.

'Thanks.' Harry whispered.

'Yes, thank you Miss Granger but that will not be necessary.' Snape moved to stand in front of the desk and slid the required ingredients across in Harry's direction.

'Just take it slowly Harry.' He whispered. Harry swallowed and nodded and began shredding the Boomslang skin.

An hour later he was more than halfway through the potion, finding the repetitive stirring rather soothing.

Suddenly a cauldron on the far side of the room exploded and Snape moved to berate the hapless Hufflepuff up, down, and three ways from Sunday.

'Clean up this mess you utter dunderhead, you can come back and finish it tomorrow night. Eight o'clock. Do not be late.' He sneered cruelly. Harry had stiffened at the tirade but had rigidly kept stirring the potion, determined not to let the potion be ruined.

'Harry.' Hermione hissed gesturing to his potion which was going a sickly green colour.

'Oh no.' Harry whispered.

Suddenly a hand closed over his and changed it stirring from clockwise to counter clockwise. 'Just relax, Harry.' Snape said softly and it was all Harry could do not to lean backwards into the comfort the older man provided. The potions master tossed a pinch more Leech juice into the cauldron and continued stirring it, his hand still held tightly over Harry's before almost ten minutes later pronouncing it done and telling Harry to bottle it.

Harry was relieved to do it and moved to grab some spare vials from his potions box as Snape moved to berate another unfortunate student whose cauldron had melted.

It quickly became clear to all in the room that the nice Snape, the calm gentle Snape, was for Harry only.

Harry continued sitting as the rest of the class filed out and smiled as Snape came around the desk to stand beside him. In his hand were the eight vials of potion Harry had bottled and left on the potions master's desk. Harry looked at him quizzically as he handed them back.

'What?'

'I thought you might more easily trust a potion you made yourself.' Snape told him.

Harry glanced down at the vials in his hand. That was why Snape had skipped the other potions. So that Harry would be able to make his own Dreamless Sleep. Finally he looked back up to see black eyes watching him intently. 'I trust your potions, Sir.' He said softly.

Snape smiled. 'Thank you, Harry.'

* * *

><p>Dinner that night was the same as the last and Harry was grateful when he could finally go to bed. Harry's eyes lit up as he walked into his room to find the rocking chair had been moved from Grimauld Place. He looked hopefully up at the potions master who rolled his eyes.<p>

'Fine, but go and get ready for bed first, you brat.' He drawled.

Harry quickly washed his face and brushed his teeth after changing into his pyjamas. He slipped back out into the bedroom, dragging his covers off the bed and wrapping them around him before climbing onto the potions master's lap.

'Once upon a time.' Snape began, a small voice in his head asking him what on earth he thought he was doing. Snape ignored it. He knew what he was doing. He was doing what he could to rid the world of the cruelest wizard of the age, and he was helping a neglected and broken boy find out that he meant to the world than just as a weapon. The rewards to both tasks were priceless.

* * *

><p>The next four days passed quickly and Harry settled, if still a little nervously back into school life. He finally made it to Transfiguration and Charms but could not make himself stay the entire class, instead having to leave partway through and stand outside the door as he tried to push away the image of the thirty wands in the class all pointed at him. By the end of the school week he was exhausted and looked forward to sleeping in the following day.<p>

That night, swallowing nervously, Harry finally made his way into Gryffindor Tower, the headmaster and Snape by his side. The rest of the house watched in silence as Harry glanced around the common room before moving to the stairs and walking slowly up to the boy's dormitory.

Harry crossed the room and sat tentatively down on the bed that had been his for almost six years. His shaking hand reached out and smoothed the wrinkles in the covers. His head replayed that night over and over.

Being woken by a sharp smack from Lucius Malfoy's cane only to be put under the Cruciatus for what seemed like hours. The curse had been so strong, even now Harry could remember that his entire body felt like it was burning. His blood felt like it was boiling in his veins and he thought his head would split wide open. He shuddered visibly as the images flashing before his eyes moved onto the later that night. After he had been taken, after they had woken him up.

Tears began falling unchecked down his cheeks as he remembered what they had done to him that night. Until that night, even after all that had happened, he hadn't realised just how evil and cruel and bitter Tom Riddle really was.

_Flashback_

The Dark Lord had sat on his throne, a small smile of satisfaction on his face as Harry had been subjected to every kind of torture he and the Death Eaters could come up with. He had held Harry's gaze, a triumphant gleam in his eye as he watched the only person ever to have beaten him reduced to noting more than a broken toy until Harry finally was unable stop himself from screaming.

Riddle had grinned maliciously at that point and told them to stop. Harry had thought he would just kill him then but it was not to be. They threw him into a tiny room and left him there until the next day before bringing him out to do it all over again. It seemed Riddle didn't want him dead. He just wanted him broken.

_End flashback_

Harry stood abruptly. 'I have to…' he trailed off but both men knew what he wanted and quickly wrapped arms around his shoulders and led him from the room.

The common room was silent as they passed again until Hermione spoke.

'Harry?'

'Please don't.' Harry croaked without raising his head, and the three quickly slipped through the portrait leaving Gryffindor House feeling as if someone had died. None except Harry's closest friends knew just what Harry had been through but the look on his pale, drawn features when he had come downstairs was enough to show them that it was not something he was going to be able to get over quickly, if at all.

When they got back to Harry's room the potions master immediately sat down in the rocking chair and pulled Harry onto his lap. He held the boy tightly as he cried and hummed softly until he fell asleep. He knew Harry had exorcised a demon tonight. Second only in size to when he would have to face Tom Riddle himself. He only hoped the boy would stay calm for as long as he had tonight.

* * *

><p>Two days later Ron, Hermione and the others came knocking on the headmaster's door.<p>

'Good morning Gryffindors.' Dumbledore said brightly, his eyes twinkling as he took in the broomsticks held in several hands.

'Morning, Professor.' Ron stepped forward slightly. 'We were wondering if Harry would like to go flying with us.'

If anything the headmaster's eyes twinkled even brighter. 'I believe that might be just what he needs, Mr Weasley. Just what he needs.' Dumbledore disappeared through the portrait still mumbling to himself. The others looked around the office in interest as they waited and it was only minutes before Harry and Dumbledore returned.

'Hey guys.' Harry gave them a small smile.

'Hiya, Harry. We thought you might like to go flying.' Ron held out his Firebolt.

Harry's eyes widened comically as he reached out to grasp the broom. 'You kept it.' He said reverently.

Ron snorted. 'Of course I did mate, I knew you'd be back for it.'

Harry looked up and gave his friend the first genuine smile he had given anyone bar Dumbledore and Snape since his return. 'I can't believe it.' He then turned to Albus. 'Can I?' he pleaded softly.

Albus smiled. 'Of course, but just let me check with Severus and Minerva. I want at least one of them outside with you.'

Harry nodded, he felt safer with an adult there anyway. Dumbledore tried McGonagall's rooms first, no answer before tossing in some more powder and calling for the potions master. Snape's head appeared in the fireplace.

'Ah Severus, good morning.' Albus began. 'How are you today?'

Snape rolled his eyes. 'What do you want, Albus?' he drawled.

Dumbledore snorted and moved slightly aside so that he could see Harry, Firebolt clutched tightly in his hands as he practically bounced on the spot.

'Ah, I see.'

'Do you have time? I have to go and see Fudge in less than half an hour.' Dumbledore explained.

The potions master glanced back at Harry who was looked at him hopefully and sighed. 'I have time.' He said in acquiescence. 'I'll meet them in the Entrance Hall in five minutes.' He said before his head disappeared.

Harry waited as Dumbledore grabbed his cloak and the headmaster walked then downstairs.

'Will you be alright with Fudge?' Snape asked as he met up with them.

Albus nodded, his arm still around Harry's shoulders. 'It was magically binding, Severus. There is nothing the Minister, or anyone else can do.'

'What does the Minister want to do?' Harry asked curiously.

Dumbledore and Snape exchanged glances. 'I won't lie to you Harry.' Albus said quietly. 'He wants you. He's trying to break the adoption.' Harry paled significantly. 'It won't work.' Dumbledore went on quickly. 'It's binding, like I said. There isn't a Ministry or a Wizingamot in the world that could overturn it.'

'Really?' Harry asked hesitantly.

'Really.' Albus confirmed and Harry smiled again.

'Oh good. Because I really hate that pompous git.' He said simply. Ron, Hermione and the others all snickered wildly and even Snape's mouth was twitching.

'Shall I let him know how you feel?' Albus asked jokingly.

Harry nodded. 'By all means.' That did it, even Snape laughed and, as the group walked outside, it was the most relaxed Harry had felt in ages.

They bid the headmaster goodbye and in Harry's case, good luck, and walked slowly down towards the pitch. Ron, Seamus and Dean took off into the air as Hermione and Neville climbed the stands to sit with Snape. Harry threw a leg over his broom and gently took off after the others.

The minute his feet left the ground his heart soared. He had forgotten just how much he enjoyed flying. How his troubles seemed to fade and the weight lifted from his shoulders. Where he was praised for something he had accomplished not for the simple fact that he had lived and others had died.

Harry lay down flat against his broom and took off around the pitch, looping and weaving around the stands. He swooped low to the grass and shot high in the sky. He was in heaven.

Ron called out to Harry and he flew down. 'We're going to play two on two, do you want to play or ref?'

'Play.' Harry said immediately. Ron grinned and waved at Hermione.

'Told you. You'll just have to referee from there.' He called out. Hermione gave him a cross look but obligingly put down her book and conjured a scoreboard.

Harry and Ron were versus Dean and Seamus, one protected the hoops the other flew as fast as they could from one end to the other. Ron played Keeper while Harry Chased.

Dean started and Harry shot off after him. It didn't take long for Harry to catch him and he purposely bumped him hard enough that he had to grab the broom with both hands and drop the Quaffle. Harry ducked underneath him and grabbed it, practically spinning on a penny to shoot back towards Seamus who was guarding the other goal hoops.

He feinted left and threw right and it flew straight through.

'Go Harry.' Ron yelled from the far end of the pitch.

The game went on for over half an hour, Dean finding a new way of holding the ball between his legs and arms so that even if he had to grab the broom with both hands he wouldn't drop it. Partway through they all swapped brooms to make fairer to Seamus and Dean.

Harry had just managed to get the Quaffle away from Dean and was bearing down on Seamus a bright glint in his eyes. Once again he feigned left and threw right but Dean's broom unlike his own didn't imitate his movements and instead of twisting towards him , went the other way and Harry soon found himself tumbling from almost twenty feet up.

He heard Ron yell and Hermione scream and he felt Snape cast a strong cushioning charm but it wasn't quite quick enough and he hit the ground hard, hearing the bones in his left wrist snap.

* * *

><p>Snape watched Harry zooming around the pitch, glaring outwardly but grinning inwardly. He almost cheered when the boy agreed to play with his friends and decided that the look on Harry's face was worth the three ruined potions he had left in the dungeons.<p>

His heart almost stopped when Harry and his broom parted company and within moments he was up cushioning the fall before sprinting from the stands, Neville and Hermione right behind him.

Ron, Dean and Seamus had flown down to land beside him but were still very wary of touching him and were just calling his name.

'Harry?' Snape could see the boy's shoulders shaking and prayed to Merlin that the fall didn't turn the boy off the one thing he really loved, well, other than Albus anyway.

'Harry, come on.' Snape placed his hands on Harry's shoulder and turned him over, cradling him gently. 'Are you okay? Don't cry, we'll get Poppy to fix you straight up.'

This seemed to make Harry cry even harder and it took several moments before Snape realised he wasn't actually crying but laughing instead.

'Are you laughing?' Snape asked incredulously, looking up at the boy's friends as if they could explain it but they looked as clueless as he was.

Harry tried desperately to stifle his laughter as tears poured down his cheeks. 'S…sorry.' Harry stammered. 'It's just so funny.'

'What's funny?' Snape was getting quite perturbed at this point.

'I hurt myself.' Harry chuckled. 'After so long of everyone else hurting me, I hurt myself, no one did it for me. It was no one's fault.'

Snape's eyes widened and he caught Hermione's hand covering her mouth in horror as he looked back down at the still chuckling boy in his arms.

'Harry, stop that. Injuring yourself is not funny. Come on, you're going to see Madame Pomfrey and then you and I are going to have a little talk.'

'Uh oh.' Ron groaned and Harry burst out laughing again.

Snape rolled his eyes and picked the boy up in his arms and marched towards the castle heedless of Harry's friends that were staring open mouthed at him in shock.

* * *

><p>Albus swept into the hospital wing like a man possessed. The message on his desk from Snape alerting him to what had happened with Harry wasn't really specific. It only said that the boy had been hurt and was in the hospital wing. Albus had visions of Lucius breaking into the castle and attacking the boy.<p>

When he saw Harry leaning back against Snape, surrounded by his friends and laughing as he ate an enormous block of chocolate Poppy had given him, he almost had to leave the room. The emotion that overcame him at the sight of Harry looking so…well, normal was almost too much for him. Instead he quickly crossed the room, smiling brightly as Harry's eyes light up as he quickly sat on the edge of the bed and gathered the boy up in his arms.

'Are you sure you're alright?' Albus asked, pulling away and trying to inspect every inch of him.

'It's just a broken wrist, Albus.' Snape said soothingly.

'Madame Pomfrey's fixed it, see.' Harry held up his left hand and waved it about. 'She just wants me to stay here so she can fuss over me.'

'No, you're here because you need to rest that arm.' Poppy cut in as she crossed the room. 'However, as the headmaster is now here, you may go.'

'Excuse me?' Snape said indignantly.

The medi-witch scowled at him. 'You don't look after yourself, Severus Snape, let alone any one else.'

'Hey, he looked after me just fine.' Harry said firmly smiling up at the potions master.

Poppy looked between them dubiously before finally relenting. 'Well, you don't look that worse for wear I suppose, although he loses marks for letting you play that infernal game. I swear, if God wanted you to fly he would have given you wings.' She muttered shuffling back across the room, leaving the Gryffindors fighting down their laughter.

'What do you say we make a run for it?' Snape suggested, knowing quite well just how difficult it is to get away from Poppy Pomfrey.

Harry and his friends nodded eagerly and together with the headmaster they snuck quietly from the wing.

* * *

><p>Harry lay back on his pillows and picked up his book. His friends had gone and he had received the promised talk from the potions master with Albus adding his two cents. Afterwards he could see why they had been so concerned but he still thought it was quite funny.<p>

Dobby had brought him his dinner and afterwards he decided to read as he waited for Snape to return as he always did every evening without fail. Just as he was reaching the part where the goblin rebellion began he heard shouting from downstairs and quickly slid from the bed and pulled on his robe.

He found Phineas Nigellas was calling for him. 'Potter, quickly. Down in the Great Hall. Dumbledore needs you.'

Harry didn't hesitate, flying from the room and down the stairs. He took off at a flat out run down the stone corridors, hearing screams and cries and several moments later he burst into the great hall only to stop dead in his tracks and look around him in horror. He could have cheerfully strangled Sirius' great uncle at that point. Well, if he wasn't already dead anyway.

He had stepped into a war zone. The great hall was full of students and teachers battling black robed Death Eaters, or they had been until Harry had burst in. Now they all stared at him.

The Death Eaters seemed to take advantage of the students' sudden shift in focus and within minutes most were disarmed and herded to either side of the hall. Harry struggled to push down his memories at the sight of so many black robes. A cry of pain from the head table caught his attention and he looked through the now clear aisle to see Dumbledore on his knees under the Cruciatus.

'Stop it.' Harry yelled.

The figure holding the wand turned and red eyes narrowed. 'Ah, Harry Potter.' Tom Riddle hissed. 'I told the muggle loving fool that you wouldn't be long in coming, and in your nightclothes no less. Aren't we honoured.'

Harry could see his guardian struggling not to cry out again.

'I said stop it.' Harry sprinted towards them. He stopped as Riddle lifted the curse and turned his wand on Harry. It was a moment or two before Harry started breathing again. His anger finally overriding the sight of the wand pointed at him.

'My, my Harry. To think it has come to this.' Voldemort hissed. 'Killed in front of all your friends in your pyjamas. How very plebeian.'

Harry scowled. 'I'm not the one dying today, Tom.'

'CRUCIO.' Riddle yelled and Harry shrieked but stayed on his feet. Riddle only held the curse for a minute but to Harry it felt like days. He could hear the students crying and Hermione and Ron were screaming for him. 'Do not call me that, you insolent child.' Riddle spat.

Harry was breathing raggedly but even that almost stopped completely as he felt a figure come up behind him and place an arm around his shoulders, pulling him back against the taller body. Harry steeled himself to stand still and not collapse to the floor in a ball. There was no where to flee to, all avenues of escape were blocked and now was not the time for Harry to abandon his friends and loved ones.

That resolve wavered heavily though as the figure's head bent and licked the side of Harry's ear. 'Little Harry.' Lucius Malfoy drawled silkily and Harry stiffened closing his eyes and clenching his fists. He swallowed convulsively, tears leaking from the side of his tightly shut eyes as Malfoy's hand moved to roam over his chest. 'I missed you, Harry.'

'Get your filthy hands off him!' Snape roared, instantly gaining the attention of all in the room, including the Dark Lord.

'Ah yes, the Traitor.' Voldemort hissed, never taking his wand from Harry but signalling with a nod to the four Death Eaters holding Snape to let him go. 'Severus, Severus, Severus. You have gotten fond of your precious Boy-Who-Lived, haven't you?' he said snidely.

'Leave him alone.' Snape growled dangerously, his cold black eyes never moving from Harry's trembling form.

Albus was just standing up, with Minerva's help. There was a slightly glazed look in his eyes that Harry knew would take him some time to shake off. 'Harry.' He croaked and Harry wanted to do nothing but run to his guardian and hold on to him tightly. 'It is time.'

Harry nodded, desperately trying to push away the hundreds of swarming hands that Malfoy's touch seemed to inspire.

'Yes, I too think it's time.' Riddle hissed. The Dark Lord pulled his wand from Harry and moved it back and forth between Dumbledore and Snape. 'Who shall I pick first, Harry? Your guardian or your saviour? You tell me.'

Harry's eyes widened and he looked helplessly between them. Snape was still glaring angrily at the man holding him and Dumbledore who was looking at him in sorrow, his face suddenly weary and making him look older than Harry could ever remember.

'No.' Harry whispered, raising his right hand and summoning his weapon with the wand that was still hidden in his robe pocket.

The speed it flew into the room and smacked into Harry's hand had most people craning their necks to try and figure out what it was. It was only as Harry elbowed Malfoy hard in the stomach and kneed him in the groin before turning back to Riddle and raising the weapon so it was pointed straight at the Dark Lord's heart that they could actually see what it was.

Riddle actually laughed as Malfoy groaned from behind Harry. 'You can't use that Potter.' Voldemort scoffed. 'What _would_ the wizarding world think?'

Harry smiled grimly. 'News flash, Tom.' Harry said quietly. 'I don't give a damn what they think.' He fired; three shots in quick succession. Two in the chest, one in the head and the Dark Lord dropped like a stone. There was no magic used in the death of the Dark Lord and so his soul was safe from wandering the earth like the last time.

The rest of the hall, who had clapped their hands over their ears and ducked at the gun's report, began looking up as the gun fire stopped and saw the prone figure of the Dark Lord in an ever increasing circle of blood. The Death Eaters were looking between Harry and their master in stunned disbelief. Harry had yet to lower the weapon.

He heard a noise behind him and spun to see Lucius Malfoy on his feet, wand in hand and a malicious expression on his face. 'That was a mistake, Potter. Do you really think the wizarding world will forgive you for using muggle weapons, even if you are the Boy-Who-Lived?'

Harry growled, keeping the gun pointed at the blond aristocrat. 'Do you really think I care, Malfoy? After all that has happened, after all the wizarding world has done to me, do you really think I would stay in it anyway?' Harry distantly heard Hermione gasp.

Malfoy glanced behind Harry at the body of the Dark Lord. 'You could have at least duelled with him like a man. That wasn't fair, Potter.'

Harry's eyes narrowed. 'And ten Death Eaters kidnapping a sixteen year old boy from his bed in the middle of the night was?' Harry said incredulously. 'Don't talk to me about fair, Malfoy, you wouldn't even know how to spell it, let alone what it means.'

The blond man raised his wand. 'You're still going to die tonight, Potter.' He hissed.

'EXPELLIARMUS.' Came a yell from the side of the hall and both Harry and Lucius Malfoy looked to see a slightly pale and extremely nervous Draco Malfoy holding both his wand and his father's.

'Draco, what an earth are you doing?' Malfoy Snr hissed.

Draco lifted his chin. 'I'm doing what is right, Father.' He said quietly.

Malfoy bristled and began stalking towards his son, intent on retrieving his wand.

'Don't take another step.' Harry said firmly, raising the gun once more.

Malfoy turned back and eyed him contemplatively before sauntering towards him. 'You wouldn't shoot me, Harry.' He said softly. 'You couldn't shoot me.' He came to a stop with the gun resting against his chest as he reached out and gently carded his fingers down Harry's face. 'You could never hurt me, Harry, I know you too well.'

Harry stiffened and swallowed convulsively. 'You don't know me at all.' Harry whispered before lifting his arm above his head and stepping forward at the same time as bringing the butt of the gun down as hard on Malfoy's head as he could.

It wasn't all that hard but it knocked the Malfoy patriarch out cold. Those students who still had wands quickly moved to stun or disarm the Death Eaters. The teachers caught a few more but most escaped out the door in the aftermath.

Harry stood like stone in the middle of the hall, almost everyone afraid to approach him, even his friends, while he still had the gun in his hand. His head was bowed and most could see him visibly shuddering as he struggled to push away images his friends knew would be trying to swamp him.

'Harry?' Albus said softly. The headmaster could see Harry struggling to calm his breathing and he wanted nothing more than to gather him in his arms and tell him everything was okay. He couldn't do it though, it had to come from Harry. The touch of Lucius Malfoy would have brought forth memories Harry had been trying desperately to forget.

'Harry?' he said again. Harry finally looked up; fear and relief both evident in his eyes as he looked at the headmaster.

'Albus.' He breathed, dropping the gun and lunging forward into the safety those elderly arms provided. Albus gently stroked his hair and he felt Snape come and place a gentle hand on his back.

'Well done, Harry.' Snape murmured and Dumbledore released him so Snape could wrap an arm around his shoulders. Harry looked up at the tall man.

'Can we go now?' he whispered. Snape looked up at the rest of the staff and the student body, most of whom were still looking at Harry with shock, some of that shock however, was turning to betrayal and worse still, disgust.

'I think that might be prudent.' Snape said quietly. Albus looked around and nodded.

'I think you could be right. Severus, take Harry up to my office and then floo to Grimmauld Place. We can't stay there but it will do for tonight. We can work out the details tomorrow. I have to stay here and alert the Ministry and deal with Fudge.'

Snape nodded and Albus gave Harry one last hug before allowing the potions master to gently guide him from the hall. Harry caught Draco's eyes as he turned and nodded. Draco gave him a small smile and Harry turned away.

The explosion of noise when they finally walked through the doors was enormous and Harry allowed two tears to fall softly from his cheeks. It was over. It was finally over.

Snape saw the tears and gently swept the boy into his arms allowing him to cry on his shoulder as he let out the stress of the last hour.

'It'll be alright, Harry.' He whispered. 'I promise.'

Ten minutes later they were at Grimmauld Place and Harry was curled in Snape's lap, in their special chair, which the potions master had thoughtfully shrunk and brought with them, and was fast asleep.

* * *

><p>Aurors and Ministry officials swarmed the castle as soon as they were alerted and the students were sent back to their common rooms. Almost forty though, had been injured in the battle and they filled the hospital wing to the brim. Three had lost their lives.<p>

Fudge was standing in the middle of the hall, levitating the weapon with a distasteful expression on his face.

'I wouldn't do that if I were you, Cornelius.' Albus told him as together with Minerva walked towards the Minister. 'You don't know what sort of effect magic will have on live ammunition.'

Fudge ripped his wand away and the gun clattered noisily to the floor. 'Dumbledore.' The Minister snapped. 'I insist you hand over that boy this instant.'

Albus shook his head, leaning down to pick up the gun. 'I think not, Cornelius. Harry has done what the Ministry couldn't and it's time you left him alone to be a child.'

Fudge bristled at the insult to the Ministry. 'He killed a man Dumbledore, he can't just be patted on the head like an errant five year old.' The Minister's lime green bowler was certainly taking a beating this evening.

'He destroyed the Dark Lord, Cornelius. It was what your very own Aurors have been trying to do for over a year.'

'He shot a man!' Fudge yelled.

'Oh so it's because he used a gun.' Dumbledore said calmly.

'Yes of course it's because he used a gun! We don't use muggle weapons. It just isn't done!'

The shouting had the effect of garnering the attention of the entire room. Most had been cleaning up, studying the effects of Harry's weapon on the Dark Lord while casting disgusted glances at the gun held casually in the headmaster's hand.

'Look Minister.' Albus snapped. 'Harry did a job the only way he could. Do you really think he could have duelled Lord Voldemort after all he had been through? The fact he could even stand in the same room as that creature was an accomplishment, let alone having the courage to face him head on. I won't stand here and let you railroad that boy again. He is just a little boy and he has been through enough!' Albus was breathing heavily by the time he concluded the tirade and the Minister looked shocked at the fervour of the speech.

'I...I...' Fudge just didn't know what to say but Albus didn't want to hear it anyway and before the Minister could regain enough mental faculties to stop him he swept from the hall.

* * *

><p>'Severus?' Albus knocked softly on Harry's door and smiled as he found his two favourite people in their usual position.<p>

'He's asleep.' Snape whispered. Albus crossed the room to stand sit on the end of the bed beside the chair and he reached up and gently stroked the hair off Harry's face.

'Dear boy.' Albus murmured.

'I gather the buzzards are circling?' Snape said quietly.

'Unfortunately. We will have to leave here in the morning. Fudge will not stop until he finds him, and I won't let that happen.'

'But here is safe, isn't it?'

Albus shook his head. 'No. Too many people know where it is. They could quite easily bring Fudge and the Aurors here without telling them the exact address.'

'You can't honestly think they would betray you like that.'

'Severus, you and I both knew when we chose this path for Harry that we were in it together. No one will believe Harry procured the weapon himself or that he trained himself to use it. There are some in the Order who will think that we have betrayed them.' Dumbledore said sadly.

Snape was silent before several moments before sighing. 'I never did like teaching anyway.'

Albus smiled and patted his arm. 'Why don't you move to the bed?' he suggested. 'You need to get some sleep.'

'What about you? Where will you be sleeping?'

Albus shook his head. 'I have several letters to write and things to take care of.'

'Albus, you've been under the Cruciatus, you should be resting.' Snape scolded softly.

'Severus, I have to get this done before morning. Please just trust me.'

The potions master eyed the older wizard carefully for several minutes before nodding slowly. In one movement he stopped the slow rocking of the chair and stood, moving to the bed and placing Harry gently down on it. The boy whimpered and Snape quickly lay down beside him, pulling the small figure into his arms and Harry settled once again.

Albus walked to the door and stopped, turning back to the bed. He opened his mouth to say something but Snape pulled out his wand and held it loosely in his hand. 'With my life, Albus.' He said quietly.

Dumbledore smiled and pulled the door closed behind him.

* * *

><p>The next morning when Harry woke the bed was empty but he knew where he was. It was still early, the sun only just peeking up over the horizon but the events of the night before flashed before his eyes and he quickly leaped from the bed and bolted for the stairs. He heard murmuring in the kitchen and darted through the door.<p>

'You would think after last night, he would be a little more tentative before bursting into a room.' Snape drawled from his seat at the table.

Harry glanced at him, seeing the amusement in the black eyes and stuck his tongue out before taking the offered hug from the headmaster who was flipping pancakes with his wand by the stove.

'Good morning.' Harry said softly.

'Good morning, Harry.' Albus smiled, laying a plate of pancakes down in front of him.

'I thought those were for me.' Snape drawled.

Harry smirked as he drowned them in syrup and Albus placed a hand on Snape's shoulder. 'Don't worry Severus, I will make you some more. I know for a fact that it will take Harry three times as long to finish them anyway.'

'Hey.' Harry mumbled indignantly around a mouthful of pancake.

The potions master snorted and they all sat silently until finally breakfast was served and Albus took his seat. Harry swallowed his current mouthful and glanced at the two men.

'What happens now? Does Fudge want me?' he asked hesitantly.

Albus sighed. 'I won't lie to you, Harry, the Minister was not happy, he wanted me to hand you over to him for trial.'

'For killing Tom?'

'For using a gun.' Snape corrected him quietly.

'Oh.' Harry's appetite left him and he lay down his fork.

Albus laid a hand on Harry's arm. 'We're not letting you go Harry.'

Both older men could see Harry's body tense up and his eyes dropped to his lap. 'I...maybe I should just go back to the Dursley's, if they would take me.' He whispered.

'Harry, no.' Snape said instantly. 'There is no way you are going back to those monsters. Besides, the Ministry knows where they live. You would not be safe there.'

Harry raised his head and they saw pain and fear in the green eyes but something else was plainly evident too, determination. 'I guess I'm on my own then.'

'I think not, Harry. We are in this together.' Snape said calmly.

Harry looked between them again. 'What?'

'Harry, did you honestly think we would allow the wizarding world to lay all the blame for the decision to use the weapon solely at your feet. You are a child Harry and were doing what you were told to do.' Albus said simply.

'For once.' Snape murmured softly and Harry scowled at him.

'When Severus and I chose this path after your return we both knew that the wizarding world would not only be un-accepting of yourself, but of us as well. Too many in the Order know it was our decision and too many did not agree with it.'

'Just think, no more brats.' Snape mused idly.

Harry, for his part, looked horrified. 'But you can't.' he said incredulously. 'You can't give up the wizarding world for me. You are too important, both of you. You can't. Just take me to Fudge, I will tell him you both had nothing to do with it.'

'You will do no such thing. I am no longer of any importance.' Snape said firmly. 'And I'll not have you ruining your future just so that I can live by myself like a hermit somewhere because I can tell you right now, the wizarding world will never accept me.'

'And you can close you mouth, Harry.' Albus interrupted as Harry did indeed open it to protest. 'I am you guardian, your Father now, and if you think I am giving that up you have another thing coming. I have spent my life working for others and now it is time to retire. I am over a hundred and fifty years old after all.'

'But you...but there isn't...but you can't.' Harry tried to voice his concerns several times.

'There are no buts, Harry.' Albus said bluntly, standing up and clearing his plate with a flick of his wand. 'Now, have you finished breakfast because we really should get going before someone comes looking for us.'

Harry sighed but nodded in resignation. He knew it would do him no good to argue. He glanced down at his pyjamas. 'I don't suppose you managed to bring me something to wear. We might be a little conspicuous if I walk around in these all day.'

Snape snorted. 'In your room, foolish child, laying on the end of your bed, which you would have seen if you hadn't been in such a hurry to get down here and burst into a room of which you had no idea of the occupants.'

Harry gave Dumbledore a look and rolled his eyes. 'I'm never going to live that down, am I?' He stated dryly before ducking from the room, hearing the elderly wizard's laughter quite clearly as he mounted the stairs.

Harry found the jeans, t-shirt and jumper and pulled them on together with the thick woollen coat and the scarf. Obviously Dumbledore and Snape were taking the job of looking after him the whole hog. Once his shoes were tied he ducked back down the stairs only to burst into laughter. Waiting at the foot were Dumbledore and Snape. That in itself wasn't what was funny. It was the fact that Snape was in black jeans, button down shirt and leather jacket and Albus was wearing Brown corduroy pants, and argyle sweater, coat and a cap. Funniest of all however, was the short beard the headmaster now sported.

'S..sorry.' Harry stammered, desperately trying to stifle his chuckles. 'I've just never seen you dressed like that.'

Albus beamed and Snape cuffed him over the ear before slinging an arm around him, both men just happy to see him laugh.

Together the three men walked out of Grimauld Place and out of the wizarding world forever.

* * *

><p><em>(More than two years later)<em>

'Go Leo.' Snape yelled and both he and Albus cheered as Harry darted around three players on the opposing team and head for the net on the far side of the field. He feinted left and kicked right and the ball sailed between the keeper's outstretched hands.

'Yes.' Snape yelled again, grinning brightly as Harry turned around only to be swamped by his team mates and hoisted onto their shoulders as they carried him around the field. Snape thought it was only right, the boy had won them the final after all; six goals in all; four from Harry's team and two from their opponents. Harry had scored all four of his teams'. They said he was very good. A star, they said, and Snape smiled proudly. He knew Albus was doing exactly the same thing to his left. It was several minutes later before Harry ran up and hurled himself into their waiting arms like and exuberant ten year old.

'We won, we won.' He chanted and both men laughed as they hugged him tightly.

It had been such a long road to recovery for their boy, which was how they now thought of him. They had moved south to London, enrolling Harry at an exclusive private school, Snape posing as his father and Albus as his grandfather. Harry still kept in touch with his friends but through the muggle post via Hermione.

Extra tutoring had almost caught the boy up with his muggle counterparts although he remained a few of years behind peers of his age. Thankfully his small stature raised no questions and it was comically easy for Harry to pass as a not quite sixteen year old instead of his actual age of nineteen.

Just then Harry's coach walked up to them, two men in suits beside him. 'Leo,' the coach said with a big smile. 'Great game son. I have a couple of people I want you to meet. This is Dave Michaels, head coach of the under 18's national football team and his assistant Gerry Wild. Gentlemen, this is the young man I have been telling you about, Leo Dore.'

The two men stepped forward and shook Harry's hand. 'You played very well today, Leo.' Dave Michaels said quietly. Harry blushed and smiled.

Thank you.' He whispered.

'Are these you're relatives, Leo?' The national coach stepped forward and raised his hand in Snape's direction. 'Dave Michaels.' He offered.

'Hello, I'm Steven Dore, Leo's father and this is his grandfather, Albert.' Snape said politely, shaking the man's hand. Albus did the same.

'Pleasure to meet you both.' Dave Michaels told them.

'What do you want Leo for?' Albus asked.

Dave's eyes widened. 'Your grandfather is a perceptive man, Leo.'

Harry laughed. 'You could say that.' He chuckled.

Dave smiled and looked at each of them in turn. 'We want Leo to play for us, to play for England.' The coach waited for a response as Snape leant down to whisper in Harry's ear.

'Just can't be anything but special, can you Harry.' He murmured.

Harry surreptitiously trod on his pseudo father's foot as he caught Dave Michaels attention. 'I'm sorry Mr Michaels, but I just play for fun.' He said softly but firmly.

'I did tell you he wouldn't.' Harry's coach muttered in the background.

The two English coaches for their part looked stunned. 'You're turning us down?' Dave Michaels said incredulously.

'No, I'm just not accepting your offer.' Harry said simply. Snape eyes glittered as once again Harry Potter shocked two fully grown men into silence with his unique view on things. Harry's face softened further as he took pity on the two men. 'Don't take too badly.' He said softly. 'It's just that I have everything I need and I don't have anything else to prove. But thank you for the offer.' He added.

He looked past the two men to his coach who was struggling to hide his amusement. 'Thanks coach. I'll see you next season.'

'You bet, Dore. Have a good holiday.'

Harry grinned as he took his "grandfather's" hand. 'We will. Nice meeting you, gentlemen.' He said politely to the two coaches before allowing Snape and Albus to guide him towards the car.

It had been a good year and it was going to be an even better summer.

Harry just couldn't wait.

* * *

><p>THE END<p> 


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